In recent years, the number of people who make a conscious decision to exclude animal-based foods or products from their lives, in other words to eat a vegetarian or vegan diet, has risen dramatically, and as a consequence the variety of vegetarian and vegan dishes has greatly expanded too.

In order for these dishes to work and do justice to our high expectations of how food should taste, it is particularly important to understand that there is never one ingredient that can replace the texture and mouthfeel, the smell and aroma, and the visual appreciation of certain foods. So, food manufacturers have to choose ingredients that provide a special taste experience. “Yeast extract fulfils this requirement in a completely natural way. It not only lends dishes an intensive taste, but also highlights their natural aromas. As a result, yeast extract is a true insider’s tip for vegetarian and vegan cuisine,” declares Manuel Lynch, Founder of the Vegan Gastronomy Culinary Academy.

“We find that yeast and yeast extract are on the forefront of a bold movement in food.”

“What makes yeast extract so special is its characteristic natural flavour, because it actually is a natural taste you could find in the real world. The taste is so intensive that all it takes is a quarter of a teaspoon of yeast extract to create a flavour explosion in, for example, a seasonal salad,” explains Lynch. “This unique flavour is down to the umami components that yeast extract contains, which are also found in ripe tomatoes, mushrooms and matured foods like Parmesan cheese.” The taste is best compared with that of a strong meat-based stock. It is this that allows yeast extract to provide the necessary seasoning and a strong flavour in vegan and vegetarian dishes without recourse to any animal-based products at all. “We find that yeast and yeast extract are on the forefront of a bold movement in food,” commented Manuel Lynch. “They are key components to help us teaching chefs and food companies how to make foods that make it easy for people to move to healthier ways of eating. We all know we need to eat healthy food, yeast extracts make that so much easier.”

Manuel Lynch is founder of the Vegan Gastronomy Culinary Academy, one of the world’s leading cooking schools teaching how to use yeast extract. Further information about the academy can be found on vegangastronomy.com.