Vegetarian - what does this mean?

To all those chefs and restaurant owners, vegetarian is derived from Vegetables. This does not mean you can add chicken, beef, lamb or fish or bi-product. No living animal is not in the Vegetable food group the last time I checked!

I’m sick of being asked or having restaurants assume that having fish of any sort, such as anchovies, maldive fish, shrimp or oyster sauce means a dish is vegetarian. The last time I checked, they all were still living creatures of some sort and are not derived from Vegetables!

The same goes for bacon…umm yeah that is pig. Pig is not a vegetable!

What about gelatine…again, that is pig, it’s cartilage from the pig’s knee! Not a vegetable!

Animal rennet in cheese? Rennet is from the stomach of a cow….not derived from vegetables!

Stock derived from animals are also not from vegetables!

So the next time you class something vegetarian, think about whether it’s purely vegetarian or you have dead bits from animals in it…

What are you thoughts? Add your comments now!

Further information:

• Wiki - vegetarianism meaning
• GoVeg
• Vegetarian Network Victoria