Join the movement, dine guilt-free, and let your love for animals shine bright

Erika Patricia is a passionate food enthusiast and advocate for a compassionate lifestyle. From the vibrant city of Jakarta, Indonesia, Erika has embraced vegetarianism for over 8 years and is currently transitioning towards a vegan way of life. Her journey into the world of plant-based goodness began with a deep conviction in the sentience of animals, believing that they, like us humans, are capable of experiencing pain, anger, and sadness.

Fueling her love for exploration and gastronomy, Erika combines her passion for food with photography and videography to create captivating content on her Instagram account, “Tukangmakanvege.” Through this platform, she shares delectable dishes from various cities in Indonesia, including Jakarta, Tangerang, Bandung, Bali, and beyond. Erika’s mission is to make it easier for people to find information about vegetarian and vegan eateries, empowering them to embark on delightful and guilt-free dining experiences in these regions.

But her contribution doesn’t stop there. Erika also embraces the role of a culinary guide, providing cooking content that encourages home chefs to recreate the mouthwatering plant-based dishes she discovers on her culinary adventures. With an unwavering commitment to showcasing the delicious side of vegetarian and vegan cuisine, Erika hopes to inspire others to join her in the quest for a compassionate and flavorsome lifestyle.

Meatless Movement recently had the opportunity to chat with her.

Whether you’re a seasoned plant-based connoisseur or curious to dip your toes into the world of vegetarianism, Erika’s captivating journey and vibrant food stories on @tukangmakanvege are sure to leave you inspired and craving for more. Get ready to savor the delights of plant-based wonders and follow Erika as she unveils the tastiest secrets of vegetarian and vegan cuisine.

Please tell us more about yourself

From Jakarta to Bali and everywhere in between, I’m on a veggie-voyage, exploring and capturing the flavors of plant-based delights!
Erika | Veg Food Hunter 🌱📸

Hello everyone! I’m Erika Patricia, a vegetarian who is currently transitioning to becoming a vegan.

I’m from Indonesia, specifically Jakarta. I have a passion for food and love exploring various cuisines everywhere. Additionally, I enjoy photography and videography, which led me to create content about vegetarian and vegan food on my Instagram account, “Tukangmakanvege.” On this account, I mostly share food from different areas, including Jakarta, Tangerang, Bandung, Bali, and other cities I’ve explored before. My main goal is to make it easier for people to find information about vegetarian and vegan eateries, facilitating their dining experiences in these areas. Apart from sharing places to eat, I also post cooking content so that those who enjoy cooking can recreate the dishes at home.

After much clucking around, I finally gave up my fried chicken obsession and embraced vegetarianism – turns out, I had to wing it until I could truly soar as a veggie lover!
Erika | Veg Food Hunter 🌱📸

I’ve been a vegetarian for about 8 years now, but before that, I learned about vegetarianism. When asked why I chose to become a vegetarian, my answer is that I believe animals are sentient beings capable of feeling pain, anger, and sadness, just like us humans. Therefore, when I was invited to embrace vegetarianism, I willingly accepted it.

There’s an interesting story I haven’t shared with others before. Before becoming a vegetarian, I used to love fried chicken a lot. While I could give up other types of meat, I found it very difficult to resist fried chicken. However, since my parents were already vegetarians and my mom cooked at home, I had to follow their choice. Even though they encouraged me to become a vegetarian, I struggled in secret and continued eating meat outside the house. But eventually, the time came for me to fully commit to vegetarianism, and in 2015, I became a vegetarian and have remained one ever since.

I’m spreading the veggie love and showing that a plant-based life can be both delicious and fulfilling
Erika | Veg Food Hunter 🌱📸

Being a vegetarian is not easy, as it involves overcoming our desire for meat. Moreover, we are a minority in the world, with very few vegetarians compared to meat-eaters. There are challenges from various aspects, including the environment, family, partner, and friends. However, I feel fortunate to have many vegetarian friends, and even those who aren’t vegetarians respect and care for me. Whenever we plan to go somewhere, they always ask, “What can you eat?”

However, being a vegetarian is enjoyable, especially with the increasing number of vegetarian and vegan restaurants in various areas. However, there are still some vegan restaurants that use onions in their dishes, and as a vegetarian, I don’t consume allium, so that can be a challenge. But overall, I really enjoy being a vegetarian. That’s one of the reasons why I share food posts on Instagram and created the “Tukangmakanvege” account—to show people that being a vegetarian is not as difficult as they might think.

Spreading the veggie love, one taste bud at a time!
Erika | Veg Food Hunter 🌱📸

I often invite my non-vegetarian friends to try vegetarian food, and they love it. Some of them are even surprised that the food is vegetarian. People might think that vegetarian food is not delicious, but I try to show my friends that vegetarian food can be tasty and not at all what they imagine. Sometimes, on my birthday, I treat my friends to a vegetarian meal.

Here are some of my favorite vegetarian/vegan offline/online places to eat in Jakarta:

Yamakai (my favorite Japanese restaurant; their sushi and ramen are delicious, and almost all their dishes are great)
Celine Kitchen @celine.kitchen (they are only available online, but their food is delicious, and they also offer vegan bread)
Vegetus (a highly recommended restaurant for family meals; their food is delicious)
Afuk Vegetarian (a breakfast place with a homey atmosphere and tasty food)
Namy House (a special place for Padang cuisine that stands out)
Kebab Baba Ali (one of my favorite Western restaurants; all their dishes are delicious)

Vegetus – Grilled Chicken & Tao Miao

Breaking down the myths, one veggie bite at a time!
Erika | Veg Food Hunter 🌱📸

There are many misconceptions about vegetarianism, even among those around me. Some people think that vegetarians lack essential nutrients because they don’t consume meat. Many parents of my friends discourage them from becoming vegetarians, fearing that they might not get proper nutrition.

However, I have seen many vegetarians who are strong, muscular, and healthy. It all depends on their eating habits and the nutritious food they consume. Some people also assume that vegetarians only eat green vegetables, but we have tofu, tempeh (a type of soy product), and various grains that are nutritious and provide us with essential nutrients.

Others believe that vegetarian food is not tasty, but there are plenty of delicious vegetarian places to try—they just haven’t experienced them yet.

Don’t let anyone dim your green glow!
Erika | Veg Food Hunter 🌱📸

To those who are new to vegetarianism, don’t be afraid. Nowadays, there are numerous vegetarian restaurants everywhere, and you can dine peacefully. Don’t think that being a vegetarian means sacrificing taste, as there are many places that offer delicious vegetarian food. Don’t worry about being judged by others. What you are doing is a good thing, not a bad one. By being vegetarian, we show our love and compassion for animals.

I hope that with the article I’ve written, people will be more motivated and willing to embrace a vegetarian/vegan lifestyle. Don’t forget to follow and like the content of @tukangmakanvege on Instagram. Thank you 🙂