VegOut Magazine

As a Sagittarius who loves to travel, I couldn’t be more excited about this issue. This topic has been a long time coming—I’ve wanted to publish a travel edition since we launched the print magazine, but with the pandemic, there just hasn’t been the right time … until now. Even if you’re not traveling again quite yet, you can use this issue as inspo for your next vacation or simply to help you learn about the different cuisines and vegan offerings around the world. My love of travel started when I was a kid. Each winter, my mom, dad, three siblings, and I piled into the family SUV and hit the road. We did this to escape the Michigan cold but also to experience new places and ways of living. It…

Tammie Ortlieb MANAGING EDITOR @TAMMIEORTLIEB Alaska is next on my travel bucket list. The only US state I haven't visited. Kimberly Tran CREATIVE DIRECTOR, PRINT @KILLAXKIM I always take a VegOut Magazine with me when I travel. Joel Alatorre CREATIVE DIRECTOR, DIGITAL @JOELESVEGAN Camping in the Redwoods is next on my travel bucket list. Jerry Ng DESIGNER @JERRYMANDERNG I always take sachets of vegan protein powder with me when I travel. Allie Mitchell SOCIAL MEDIA DIRECTOR & STAFF WRITER @ALLIEMITCH Aisle seat, middle seat, or window seat? Aisle seat for sure. Anja Grommons STAFF WRITER @VEGCENTRICDIETITIAN I always take plant-based jerky and vegan protein bars with me when I travel. Kayla Pasko STAFF WRITER @KAYLAPASKO I always take Vegamour GRO Dry Shampoo with me when I travel. Cayla White STAFF WRITER @CAYLA__WHITE Colombia is next on my travel bucket list. Natalie Brown SOCIAL MEDIA MANAGER & STAFF WRITER @NAATALIEBROWN Aisle seat, middle seat, or window seat? Window seat for sure. I can’t pass up the…

Lauren Toyota @LAURENTOYOTA Lauren is the author of two bestselling cookbooks Vegan Comfort Classics: 101 Recipes to Feed Your Face and hot for food all day. She’s been named one of Canada’s Most Influential Vegans (Impact Magazine) and has appeared on many national television programs sharing her expertise for making vegan food fast and fun. Lauren’s YouTube channel, Instagram, and website have amassed millions of views and devoted fans. Jared Cross @CROSSJARED Jared’s passion for travel and culture are fueled by his upbringing near the Mexican-American border in San Diego. He is in constant pursuit of ways to reduce his carbon footprint, and dreams of owning a cocktail bar. Rebecca Gade Sawicki @VEGGIESABROAD Rebecca lives in Metro Detroit and is the creator of the vegan travel blog Veggies Abroad. Born of her love for travel and the curiosity…

THE ROAD TO BECOMING A VEGAN RESTAURATEUR Prompted by the desire to fuel her body with more nourishing food, Marquis became vegan 11 years ago. While it was easy for her to create plant-based meals at home, she found a lack of vegan options in her community. Armed with her personal experience and the determination to popularize plant-based eating in her local area, Marquis set out to open her first restaurant—HipCityVeg—in 2012. The opening of HipCityVeg was the realization of Marquis’ dream to make craveable vegan food affordable and accessible to all, and her empire continues to grow each year. As a single mother, the task of running ten HipCityVeg locations and two other restaurants—Charlie was a sinner. and Bar Bombón—is no small feat. Being a mother amid her demanding workload has helped…

WHAT INSPIRED YOU TO OPEN YOUR FIRST RESTAURANT? When my father was in his early 50s, he developed high blood pressure and type 2 diabetes. I [told] him he could improve his diabetes with a plant-based diet. [He said], “I don't eat sweets, and I try to follow a decent diet. I have diabetes because of my genes. My father had it, and that’s why I do.” I [said], “You have these health problems, and Grand-pop had these health problems because you ate the same things.” I bought a blender and made [him] a green smoothie, the same smoothie we sell today at HipCityVeg—the BFG—and he was hooked. I learned that great taste is the key that can open the door to a plant-based lifestyle. A few months after adopting a…

KFC LAUNCHES PLANT-BASED FRIED CHICKEN NATIONWIDE Kentucky Fried Chicken and Beyond Meat kicked off the new year with plant-based Beyond Fried Chicken, which made its nationwide debut in January. KFC originally tested Beyond Fried Chicken in August 2019, as part of a limited-time offer in Atlanta. After overwhelming success, Beyond Meat developed its plant-based fried chicken—which is packed with delicious flavor and a crisp, juicy texture—exclusively for KFC. The Beyond Fried Chicken is available in KFC’s first-ever plant-based combo meal with secret recipe fries and a medium drink, or you can order it á la carte in a 6-or 12-piece pack. AMC THEATRES ADDS IMPOSSIBLE CHICKEN NUGGETS While movie theaters have been late to the game when it comes to introducing better vegan options, AMC Theatres has decided to join the growing list…