Refuel Your Soul – help us make the world a better and kinder place

Refuel Your Soul is a vegan French bistro and is a unique place where you can dine and enjoy with your friends while listening to some great music by the finest musicians and DJ’s from all over the world. RYS is well known for their amazing French vegan food. RYS hosts many music and charity related events.

Meatless Movement recently had the opportunity to chat with the founder, Nabila.

Nabila told Meatless Movement that she wants to take RYS vision to the next step and she hopes to be able to give back and make a valuable contribution towards the progress of the society. She does this by making vegan food affordable and by offering it to the underprivileged. Nabila is also providing cooking lessons for free for those who are in need and trying to make a change in their lives.

As music is an integral part of Refuel Your Soul, Nabila felt that she has a mission to provide the musical studio support by sharing her knowledge and giving free music lessons and rehearsal space for kids or people who can’t afford it.

Please tell us more about yourself

Come and celebrate with us, the best way possible:
with a dish, some drinks, the best alternative tunes and possibly a dance! 💃
REFUEL YOUR SOUL (RYS)

My name is Nabila Slama, i am 40 years old. I was born in Versailles France. I have been working in the musical industry for more than 15 years now, where I was on tour with many bands, and I now still work for Hellfest Production.

Before this, I have worked at the Eiffel Tower ( Jules Vernes ) and Ottolenghi too. I have been on a meatless diet for more than 20 years.

Who would have imagined that a woman with many tattoo, playing skateboard and listening hardcore and singing in a band, would end up being vegan in France 20 years ago. I am amazed at my own transformation. It’s really not easy, but I’m glad I did it.

We are a Vegan French Bistro, we turn all the french traditional in vegan way. This is because I want to prove that food without meat or fish can be delicious too. The place is fully vegan, drinks and food, the menu changes every season, and we are also an alternative metal bar.

We organise parties every weekend and during the week, we want people to feel home at RYS. If there’s anything French you are missing, you will find it here. From September onwards, our new bakery deli shop will open. You will find traditional food from France such as traiteur. This place is really special as it used to be a butchery long time ago owned by my landlord, the Anderson’s family. Anderson turned it to a bakery for many years, before renting the place to me.

So Refuel Your Soul is first a safe place for everyone, there is no judgement here and everyone is welcome. This is a place to meet and enjoy good food nice music with your friends or everyone.

It’s 100% Vegan, 100% french food, we are in Hoxton Street East London ( 227-229 Hoxton Street N15LG )

First Vegan French Bistro Cocktail Bar
REFUEL YOUR SOUL (RYS)

REFUEL YOUR SOUL (RYS) is a place for you to enjoy our specialties from different parts of France whether you are alone or with your friends. We serve both comfort food and fines dishes from our kitchen. For example the menu we put out for September includes the vegan raclette bottomless and vegan fondue.

And I’m sure you will like our ambience too. It’s really alternative here; you can listen to some Grunge, Noise, Sludge, Punk-Hardcore, Metal, Doom, Stoner, some electronique music too. If you love music you will found what you need here. We also play skateboard video to support the skateboard community since we are part of it too.

See you there and stay connected more fun things to come
REFUEL YOUR SOUL (RYS)

I create RYS to give to everyone a place where they will feel safe and comfortable, a place where they can exchange about the passion they have for music, and all art, and enjoy it with nice food. Just because we are vegan we always need to eat the same food, I am so happy to see all the new vegan businesses opening; to me, this is a big change.

I am glad I did this first, but we need more meatless places. We don’t need to eat anyone to survive, we don’t need to hurt anyone to feel good or healthy. We are no one to decide who can live or die!

Common misconceptions about Veganism

One misconception is that vegans only eat carrots and grass, which is not, ahahah; or that we are going to die tomorrow because we don’t consume meat. I often hear these from people around me. I think the best way is to change their prejudices is cook for them vegan food which avoid animal suffering and still taste really delicious.

In fact, there’s been a global rise in plant-based eating. Now people are more aware about the food they eat, and the direct impact on animal sufferings. From the many documentaries to films online, these videos revealed how animals are being abused on farms and exposed the shocking abuse that animals go through for food. I hope more people will know about the hard truth and make the moral decision to stop consuming meat.

There is also growing evidence that plant-based diets are associated with healthier benefits. A healthy plant-based diet comprising proper portions of vegetables, fruits and whole grains, is a powerful way to achieve good health.

Come and enjoy with us nice vegan French food 🥘,
nice vegan cocktails 🍸 and great music 🎶
REFUEL YOUR SOUL (RYS)

Vegan Foie Gras:

I work so hard on this recipe to get the exactly same taste of a foie gras, this one is served with confit onion and toasted bread.

Tartiflette:

This is the traditional tartiflette one of my favorite french dish, you can get it as a tarte with puff pastry or as a proper dish with smoked potatoes, homemade smoked lardons, white wine, homemade cream and love ahahah.

Vegan cider chicken:

We made our homemade chicken, we smoked it and cook it with apple confit and calvados, finished with cream and cider in slow cook, and our homemade smoked cheese, pasta and hop in the oven to be backed for a bit and after that you just can’t leave anything on this plate.

Vegan beef bourguignon:

My mum does the best bourguignon in the world. To replicate it, we smoke the meat substitute, and marinate it with red wine for 48 hour with herbs and spice. After that it is cooked with baby potatoes, carrots, onion, and mushroom slowly slowly. You can die for that.

Vegan Le Nevé cassoulet from hell:

This one is for my best friends Yoann Le Nevé who create and manage the Hellfest with Benjamin Barbaud, they are my second family and so Yoann is a fan of cassoulet ahahahah i am not going to tell the story ahahah, but i have to give the name of this for him.

This cassoulet is enough spicy, smoked and tasty, it’s a beans stew with homemade vegan smoked sausages, homemade ham and duck slow cook with wine and tomatoes confit and espelette chili, slow cook and finished in the oven, that very delicious.

There’s good vibes only at Refuel Your Soul 🤘🏾
REFUEL YOUR SOUL (RYS)

It was not exactly a pleasant beginning. One day i was really at the end, and really wanted to end my life. I lost all trust on anything and was alone in the dark, I was walking on the street and decided to push the doors of a bar. I went in and sat at the bar. I didn’t talk and only asked for a glass of wine. I guess the barman saw in my eyes something was wrong. He didn’t ask but I decided to tell him about my problems.

I went out of the bar thinking life is not that bad after all. I was not at the same point in my head and never think again about killing myself anymore. I made a decision to create a place one day where everyone is welcome.

I never found that bar again but I will always remember the barman who saved my life. I kept my promise to create this place. Anyone could be broke and need a helping hand one day. Come to Refuel and we will be your comfort zone. At RYS, I am thankful for the support I have had and I want to pay it forward whenever I can.

I am most happy when my customers enjoy my plant-based creations at RYS
REFUEL YOUR SOUL (RYS)

I wish to thank a few people in my life.

My mum first for always trusting me and inspiring me. I will never be the one i am without her. Next, my landlord Linda and Colin Anderson to support me and be there ( trust me is not easy ).

And of course my Team, the best Team ever. I can’t be more glad to having them. They are the most supportive members, always there for me and trusting me. They are real soldier, this is why RYS is not just a restaurant; we are like a big family. We experienced very hard moments and still but they are always there. Refuel Your Soul (RYS) will never be the same without them.