morgan grace

 The Vegan X is where kindness meets indulgence. We host beautiful vegan pop-up dinners around the world and blog about the evolving vegan scene. Here is our five (and a half) part philosophy:

1. We want to inspire you, not convert you.

This all started with me hosting beautiful dinners with my friends to share veganism with them in a way that they'd never experienced before. When they left both full-bellied and full-hearted, they saw veganism in a new light. Instead of only seeing it for what it was missing, they began to appreciate it for all it embraced. Everything we do at The Vegan X keeps this in mind: to show you how the vegan lifestyle is not about deprivation, exclusivity and sacrifice, but abundance, community and joy. And seriously decadent desserts!

2. We value style, beauty and pleasure.

We firmly believe that becoming vegan doesn't mean you need to sacrifice the finer things in life. Appreciating things like style, beauty and pleasure is part of what makes us human, and it's what makes life fun! At The Vegan X we will only share what we believe represents the highest standard of vegan living, to show you that it can be just as luxurious as any other. In other words, it's possible to be indulgent and kind at the same time.

3. We believe in positive reinforcement.

You will never come across any negativity, aggression or judgement on our pages or at our tables. Personally, I have found that the best way to encourage people to be more open about the vegan lifestyle is through sharing what I love about it, not by making them feel uncomfortable or guilty. It's a trend I think you'll start to see more of, just look at the Arianna Huffington's introduction of What's Working: Purpose + Profit.

4. We are an open, inclusive community.

When I first became vegan, I was the only one out of all my close friends and family. But just because I was eating different things didn't mean I didn't want to stop hanging out with them! That's why my pop-up dinners are designed for everyone to enjoy. It's also why I've started a series on the blog that celebrates top restaurants that include vegan options. It makes me happy to be able to go out for a beautiful meal with my family and know that we are all looked after, vegan or not. The Vegan X may focus on veganism, but really it's just about love. This is where the X comes in... every two v's forms a kiss: X.

5. We are excited about the way things are changing.

The vegan industry is expanding faster than ever, whether it's new brands (like Hampton Creek), or existing ones introducing new vegan-friendly editions (like Free People). We have a pretty impressive entourage of high-profile ambassadors that is growing all the time. Some of my favourites include Stella McCartney, Russel Brand, Joaquin Phoenix, Woody Harrelson, Ellen DeGeneres, Olivia Wilde and Liam Hemsworth. I think the vegan lifestyle is going through a bit of a renaissance, and we look forward to being there for every step of the way!

(And a little one for the more vegan curious):

5 and a half. We believe small changes are better than none at all.

If you are curious about trying vegan out for a while, that's wonderful! But be careful, perfection can be a very disheartening thing. This is something that I learnt from Colleen Patrick-Goudreau (also known as the 'joyful' vegan) who says: "Don't do nothing because you can't do everything. Do something. Anything." In other words, you don't have to be 100% plant-based 100% of the time if that doesn't work for you. It's important for each of us to assess our own situation and make our own decisions that will make us most happy. After all, being a vegan is all about kindness, and this includes being kind to yourself!