Meet Tamar Arslanian, a New Yorker who is “Flirting With Vegan”. Tamar’s decision to become a vegetarian was influenced by her cats – ironic given they are obligate carnivores! She’s working towards a fully plant-based diet and avoids bringing milk, cheese and dairy into her home.
On her journey towards a vegan diet, she has been discovering new plant-based recipes and exploring the vegan food scene in New York City. She wanted to share her discoveries with other foodies and so “Flirting With Vegan” tours & events was created as a way to introduce others to “great food that happens to be vegan,”
Please tell us more about yourself
“I grew up in the Midwest and went to school in the South, but consider myself a New Yorker as I’ve lived here over 20 years, the longest I’ve lived in any one place.
My cats are the reason I’m vegetarian, as ironic as that is given they’re obligate carnivores. I can remember the exact moment it came together for me. I was at a restaurant eating rabbit ragu when it dawned on me that my cats were only two floppy ears and a cottontail away from the creature I was about to consume. That’s when I began thinking about how arbitrary our food choices are when it comes to eating meat. Why is it okay to eat a pig with the IQ of a toddler but not a dog or cat?
I committed to being vegetarian around 2007 and have slowly been working towards a vegan diet the last few years. I don’t purchase cows milk and rarely have butter, cheese or eggs in my home. I will eat them when I go out if there aren’t vegan options I like.”
Do you find it difficult to eat out?
Calling everyone who likes to eat good food!
Flirting With Vegan [Food Tours & Events]
“I don’t find it a challenge eating out as a vegetarian often – unless it’s at a steakhouse. But eating vegan in restaurants is a different matter altogether. I’ve heard from vegan friends that all restaurants in the UK and Germany have at least one good vegan option. Whereas even in NYC you need to go to a vegan restaurant if you want a good vegan meal.
Most restaurants don’t put much time or consideration into vegan options which is really a big miss in my opinion. Just because someone is vegan doesn’t mean they want to eat an entire head of cauliflower or a portobello mushroom burger. I think it’s difficult to be a foodie and a vegan.”
What approaches do you suggest for convincing someone to try meatless food?
It’s all about Great Food That Happens To Be Vegan. 🌱
Flirting With Vegan [Food Tours & Events]
“If they consider themselves a foodie I would ask why they are limiting themselves by not trying all the amazing vegan options now available. There are amazing vegan restaurants in NYC opening up that cater to meat eaters. Why eat fatty duck liver, bone marrow and bull testicals but draw the line at nut cheeses and tofu? It doesn’t make sense.
That’s why I started Flirting With Vegan Tours & Events. I’m first and foremost a foodie and dishes we eat on the tour are all my top picks. It’s all about Great Food That Happens To Be Vegan.”
What advice would you give to someone who is just starting to adopt a meatless diet?
“First of all, I would say you don’t have to be perfect, it’s not all or nothing, every little bit helps. I love terms like imperfect-vegan, veg-curious or vegan-ish because they don’t require people to commit to a huge lifestyle change. For example, by eating plant-based just one time a week you can save 133 gallons of water. By making small changes together we can make a big difference.
We love hearing “I can’t believe this is vegan!”
Flirting With Vegan [Food Tours & Events]
Secondly there are many benefits of going meatless from improving your own health to helping the environment (save water and reducing our carbon footprint) and decreasing the murder of sentient beings.
Each person will be motivated by something different so know your audience and talk to them about what’s important to them.”
Below are a few of Tamar’s favorite NYC vegan picks
Planta Queen – Great vegan sushi
Jajaja – Serves an enchilada verde with hearts of palm that I am obsessed with
Kame – Amazing vegan ramen
Plnt Burger – The cheeseburger is a McDonalds dupe
Fong On- The oldest family run tofu shop in NYC
To learn more about Flirting With Vegan Tours & Events email flirtingwithvegan@gmail.com and follow @flirtingwithvegan on Facebook, Instagram & TikTok.
https://www.instagram.com/flirtingwithvegan/?hl=en
https://www.tiktok.com/@flirtingwithvegan?lang=en
https://www.facebook.com/FlirtingWithVegan/
Flirting With Vegan [Food Tours & Events]
🗽NYC Foodie Walking Tours & Events
🌱 Great Food That Happens to be Vegan
all images courtesy of Flirting With Vegan [Food Tours & Events]