CleverRoot

1 6 | t h e c l e v e r r o o t F NICKY FORK SEED OFFERS A SUSTAINABLE DINING EXPERIENCE IN THE BIG EASY by Emily Coleman ANYONE WHO LOVES FOOD and drink naturally gravitates toward New Orleans, but the historic city hasn't traditionally offered the same memorable culinary experiences to those abstaining from meat and seafood. I've experienced this firsthand, in fact: When I attended my first Tales of the Cocktail conven- tion, someone suggested I pack a lot of snacks to avoid going hungry. Like many cities historically sparse in veg- etarian options, New Orleans has evolved quite a bit over the past few years as oases for her- bivores, including the well-received restaurant Seed, pop up across the city. Founder Edgar Cooper previously worked in a position that required frequent travel, enabling him to visit a plethora of vegan restaurants in places like New York and California. In early 2014, Cooper launched Seed to bring a plant-based restaurant grounded in distinc- tive New Orleans flavors to the Louisiana city. In conceptualizing his menu, he sought out sustainable and locally sourced ingredients while avoiding the use of meat substitutes as much as possible. "We really believe that the food should not be processed or trying to imitate other things," Cooper explains, adding that"many of the NOLA spices lend themselves fairly easily to plant-based [dishes]," among them eggplant and Southern-fried po'boys, gumbo, and beignets. The year before he opened Seed, Cooper traveled to Malaysia and witnessed the environmental devastation caused by palm-oil plantations. This eye-opening experience prompted him to incorporate philanthropy into the mission of the restaurant: Seed makes contributions to animal rescue organizations like Project Orangutan and the Humane Society of Louisiana (HSLA), the latter of which has also promoted and spread awareness of vegan and plant-based diets for years. "Seeing the devastation in Borneo and the impact on rainforests and animal habitats, I think that it is important to make conscious choices when it comes to our diet," Cooper explains."Everyone should make their own choices, but we try to make that choice easier—whether once a month or once a week, we are happy people try to be healthier and at the same time easier on the environment." Sowing Change PHOTOS COURTESY OF SEED Seed in New Orleans uses spiralized cucumbers and carrots as the base for its twist on pad thai. Artichoke cakes are Seed's most popular item. Dishes like the eggplant po'boy prove New Orleans flavors can still shine in plant-based versions of the city's culinary classics. ■cr

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