Velivery: Hi Ricky, we’re very happy to be able to talk to you today. How did you start cooking in the first place, and why did you decide to become a chef?

Ricky: At the tender age of 16, I actually didn’t have the faintest idea what I wanted to be. I didn’t want to continue with school, because I’m more of a doer. When we had to do work experience while at school, my Mom, who’s a trained domestic scientist, suggested that I try my hand at working in a canteen kitchen. I did, and I did it in an old people’s home – so a far cry from high-quality cooking.
But I saw it through, and right from the start, I took joy from taking the raw ingredients and making them into something beautiful and tasty. It’s similar to a craftsman or artist creating something beautiful from their raw materials. To me, it was about this type of creation, and about putting a smile on the residents’ faces.
Then I completed a three-year-long classical chefs’ training. That was in the Münsterland area of Germany. I’m originally from a German village near to the border with Holland. After that, the idea of going abroad appealed to me in particular. I saw it as an opportunity. I spent two years in Vienna to begin with, and then went to Australia and New Zealand before returning to home turf. That’s a very brief summary.

Velivery: Was it vegan cooking right from the get-go? Or how did that come about?

Ricky: Back then, there wasn’t even any discussion around the topic. Veganism didn’t become a real trend until a few years ago. I cooked French-inspired cuisine to begin with, and then Asian elements were added to that after spending time in Australia and New Zealand. Vegetables tended to be a side dish. It never would have occurred to me to cook exclusively vegan food.

Velivery: Why did you then decide to go completely vegan? What is it about vegan cuisine that appeals to you?

Ricky: For me, it was never about it being a trend, or even about the money – which is what people sometimes assume. I wanted to follow through on the permaculture cultivation approach in a very straightforward, thorough way. From day one onwards, my cooking was around 80% vegan. So all that was left to do was to find alternatives to dairy products. And that was easy. I chose not to use imitation products for meat and fish. Instead of looking for another way to achieve them, I just leave them out. I really wanted to create something of my own rather than replacing something. I don’t like the label “vegan” that much, because it just creates conflict. Between hype and rejection. We have too many labels in our heads as things are.

Instead, I see it as a challenge. For example: How can I bake without eggs? I can use linseeds. Our kitchen is a real “test kitchen” where things get tried out and we go down creative new pathways. In this way, we’ve built up incredible amounts of knowhow. And what makes it interesting is taking a new angle on local produce time and time again: being about to take the same carrots I used last year and doing something completely different with them.

Velivery: What can people do to get even more into vegan cuisine? Where can they start?

Ricky: It’s not that easy in Germany. I’ve given up trying to preach to people. Telling people that meat is bad and vegetables are good. The facts speak for themselves. But I’m against being radical. I don’t think preaching is the right way to go about things. Meat eaters should be won over by flavor and creativity. They should discover how authentic vegan food is. The simpler it is, the better – too many additives are just confusing. Many people don’t want to make animals suffer any more. So the first thing I recommend is to reduce your meat consumption – to only eat it occasionally, and then to really celebrate it. However, it is possible to just stop eating it from one day to the next. After all, that’s the best way to stop smoking: just giving it up. And not necessarily using replacement products, which would be like using nicotine patches. My tip is to take joy in the diversity of healthy, plant-based food!

Velivery: Many people really do want to eat more healthily, and do their bit towards a better future for our planet. From your experience, how would you say it’s possible to make vegan cuisine work on a daily basis, given the stresses of everyday life? And how can people take the first step?

Ricky: Don’t make things too complicated for yourself! When many people think of veganism, all that comes to mind for them is raw veg. I want to invite people to think beyond the salad. For that, they need to enjoy experimenting a bit. Just go for it: open the fridge, put together a few fresh ingredients and different flavor types, and be open to trying new products… you don’t have to spend hours searching the internet for recipes – simply leave your prejudices to one side and be relaxed in how you approach the whole thing. Then, occasionally, you’ll feel like taking more time to think about individual ingredients, savoring every aspect of their flavor, and getting creative yourself.