Five Questions: Charlotte VegFest's Jameka Whitten on Why It's Not All Salads | CLT Daily

Description

Today's a little different: it's Five Questions, CLT Daily's interview series. This week's guest is Jameka Whitten, President of Charlotte VegFest, which returns this Saturday, October 10, to Victoria Yards in Uptown. General admission is free, noon to 6 p.m., and VIP early entry starts at 11. Jameka explains what got VegFest started and why you don't have to be vegan to go. She also covers the cooking demo she'd send every first-timer to, the biggest myth about plant-based eating, and where in Charlotte she sends a friend for brunch. Jameka answered in writing; her answers are read by host Steve Bouboulis, word for word.

Run a Charlotte business, restaurant or event with a story to tell? Email steve@cltdaily.com and you could be our next Five Questions guest.

CLT Daily — Charlotte's independent daily briefing. New episodes every morning. cltdaily.com

Sources this episode: written interview with Jameka Whitten, Charlotte VegFest (charlottevegfest.com), Hoodline, Charlotte's Got A Lot

CLT Daily is written, hosted and produced by Steve Bouboulis, an independent journalist covering the Queen City. Got a tip, a document, or a story the city isn't telling? Reach him on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stevebouboulis/

Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

Transcription

Speaker #0
Today's a little different. It's Five Questions, our interview series, and this week's guest runs Charlotte Charlotte VegFest. Most people picture a vegan festival as a field full of salad. She'd like a word with you about that. Stick around. By the end of this one, you'll know exactly where she sends a friend to eat and what to order when you get there. But first, this is CLT Daily. I'm Steve Baboulis. It's Thursday, October 8th, your independent daily briefing for the Queen City. Today, Jamika Witten. president of Charlotte Veg Fest. The festival is this Saturday at Victoria Yards in Uptown, and general admission is free. She answered Five Questions in writing, so what you'll hear are her words read by me. First question, what got Veg Fest started and why does Charlotte need a festival like this? Here's what she wrote. Charlotte Veg Fest started as a way to build community and show people that vegan living can be fun, accessible, and rooted in so many different cultures. Charlotte needs a festival like this, because there should be a space where vegans feel celebrated, but also where someone who is simply curious can eat some great food, learn something new, and have a good time. You absolutely do not have to be vegan to enjoy Charlotte VegFest. Second, I asked what a first-timer should go find on the grounds this year. Her answer, I'd tell a first-timer to find something they've never tried before. One of my picks this year is the Mushroom Queen. She'll be doing her Mushroom Meat Experience cooking demo, where she'll turn her signature plant-based mushroom meat into five different QuickBites, and she'll also be selling her mushroom meat at Charlotte Charlotte VegFest, so you can watch what she does with it, taste it, and then take some home and experiment with it yourself. Third, what do people in Charlotte most often get wrong about plant-based eating? Her answer starts short, that it's all salads. I promise we don't do this every year so everybody could come eat lettuce. Plant-based food can be southern food, comfort food, burgers, barbecue, baked goods, and cuisines from around the world. And you don't have to become vegan overnight to explore it. Come with an open mind and try something. Fourth, for someone coming Saturday, what should they know before they go? Come hungry and give yourself time to experience the whole festival. We have food and vendors, but also cooking demos, fitness classes, a chef cook-off, speakers, activities for kids, and more happening throughout the day. General admission starts at noon, VIP entry is at 11, and my biggest advice is to wear comfortable shoes, plan your transportation or parking ahead of time, and come ready to try something new. Comfortable shoes, noted. And now the bonus question, the one I ask every guest, because it tends to get the most honest answer. What's something about Charlotte nobody's asking you about? I'd love to see more conversation about the people who are actually creating Charlotte culture. We talk a lot about the city's growth, the skyline, and all the people moving here, but there are entrepreneurs, artists, organizers, and community leaders who have been building things here for years. I think the story of who is shaping Charlotte is just as interesting as how quickly Charlotte is growing. That's a story this show intends to keep telling. Now... as promised. I asked Jamika where, outside of Charlotte VegFest, she'd send a friend to eat. Here's what she wrote. I'd send them to Sanctuary Bistro for brunch. Start with the crispy oyster mushrooms, then order whatever brunch special sounds good that day, and definitely get dessert. I'm a big believer that vegan food should still feel fun and indulgent, and Sanctuary does that really well. Sanctuary Bistro is an vegan Charlotte restaurant on Ray Road in South Charlotte. Its listings show brunch on Saturdays, starting at 10 in the morning. And if you're heading Charlotte VegFest, it's this Saturday, noon to 6, at Victoria Yards on East 7th Street. General admission is free. The festival is run by a non-profit and a committee of volunteers. Details are at Charlotte VegFest. Thanks to Jamika Witten for taking part in Five Questions. And if you run a Charlotte business, a restaurant, or an event with a story to tell, I want to hear from you. Email me at steve at CLT and you could be our next guest.

Description

Run a Charlotte business, restaurant or event with a story to tell? Email steve@cltdaily.com and you could be our next Five Questions guest.

CLT Daily — Charlotte's independent daily briefing. New episodes every morning. cltdaily.com

Sources this episode: written interview with Jameka Whitten, Charlotte VegFest (charlottevegfest.com), Hoodline, Charlotte's Got A Lot

Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

Transcription

Speaker #0
Today's a little different. It's Five Questions, our interview series, and this week's guest runs Charlotte Charlotte VegFest. Most people picture a vegan festival as a field full of salad. She'd like a word with you about that. Stick around. By the end of this one, you'll know exactly where she sends a friend to eat and what to order when you get there. But first, this is CLT Daily. I'm Steve Baboulis. It's Thursday, October 8th, your independent daily briefing for the Queen City. Today, Jamika Witten. president of Charlotte Veg Fest. The festival is this Saturday at Victoria Yards in Uptown, and general admission is free. She answered Five Questions in writing, so what you'll hear are her words read by me. First question, what got Veg Fest started and why does Charlotte need a festival like this? Here's what she wrote. Charlotte Veg Fest started as a way to build community and show people that vegan living can be fun, accessible, and rooted in so many different cultures. Charlotte needs a festival like this, because there should be a space where vegans feel celebrated, but also where someone who is simply curious can eat some great food, learn something new, and have a good time. You absolutely do not have to be vegan to enjoy Charlotte VegFest. Second, I asked what a first-timer should go find on the grounds this year. Her answer, I'd tell a first-timer to find something they've never tried before. One of my picks this year is the Mushroom Queen. She'll be doing her Mushroom Meat Experience cooking demo, where she'll turn her signature plant-based mushroom meat into five different QuickBites, and she'll also be selling her mushroom meat at Charlotte Charlotte VegFest, so you can watch what she does with it, taste it, and then take some home and experiment with it yourself. Third, what do people in Charlotte most often get wrong about plant-based eating? Her answer starts short, that it's all salads. I promise we don't do this every year so everybody could come eat lettuce. Plant-based food can be southern food, comfort food, burgers, barbecue, baked goods, and cuisines from around the world. And you don't have to become vegan overnight to explore it. Come with an open mind and try something. Fourth, for someone coming Saturday, what should they know before they go? Come hungry and give yourself time to experience the whole festival. We have food and vendors, but also cooking demos, fitness classes, a chef cook-off, speakers, activities for kids, and more happening throughout the day. General admission starts at noon, VIP entry is at 11, and my biggest advice is to wear comfortable shoes, plan your transportation or parking ahead of time, and come ready to try something new. Comfortable shoes, noted. And now the bonus question, the one I ask every guest, because it tends to get the most honest answer. What's something about Charlotte nobody's asking you about? I'd love to see more conversation about the people who are actually creating Charlotte culture. We talk a lot about the city's growth, the skyline, and all the people moving here, but there are entrepreneurs, artists, organizers, and community leaders who have been building things here for years. I think the story of who is shaping Charlotte is just as interesting as how quickly Charlotte is growing. That's a story this show intends to keep telling. Now... as promised. I asked Jamika where, outside of Charlotte VegFest, she'd send a friend to eat. Here's what she wrote. I'd send them to Sanctuary Bistro for brunch. Start with the crispy oyster mushrooms, then order whatever brunch special sounds good that day, and definitely get dessert. I'm a big believer that vegan food should still feel fun and indulgent, and Sanctuary does that really well. Sanctuary Bistro is an vegan Charlotte restaurant on Ray Road in South Charlotte. Its listings show brunch on Saturdays, starting at 10 in the morning. And if you're heading Charlotte VegFest, it's this Saturday, noon to 6, at Victoria Yards on East 7th Street. General admission is free. The festival is run by a non-profit and a committee of volunteers. Details are at Charlotte VegFest. Thanks to Jamika Witten for taking part in Five Questions. And if you run a Charlotte business, a restaurant, or an event with a story to tell, I want to hear from you. Email me at steve at CLT and you could be our next guest.

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