Veganuary and the blurred line: A MasterChef champion's view
Veganuary has become a familiar fixture in the hospitality calendar, prompting chefs to reassess menus, sourcing and how diners engage with plant-led food at the start of the year.
While some kitchens embrace it as a creative opportunity, others view it more cautiously, questioning whether meaningful change can be achieved through a single month of focus.
For chef Dan Merriman, Veganuary raises broader questions about how food is valued, how animals are treated, and whether intention matters more than ideology.
Seeing animals as produce, not product
Dan’s perspective begins with how he views meat itself. Rather than rejecting animal products outright, he frames their use around respect, restraint and quality.
He said: “I see beef as a tree, I see lamb as a tree, I buy very, very good quality and respect the actual animal, rather than just eating it as sustenance.”
That mindset directly influences how often meat appears in his own diet and cooking. Instead of regular consumption, animal products are treated as something occasional and considered.
Dan explained: “I see beef as a treat, I’ll buy a really good, aged piece of beef and have it once every two or three months. That’s the way I see it.”
For Dan, the issue is not whether people eat meat, but how often, how much, and whether the product itself is genuinely valued.
A cautious relationship with veganism
While Dan supports many of the principles associated with veganism, he was clear that he does not fully align with it as a defined movement.
“I don’t necessarily agree with veganism as a whole, I think it’s a very blurred line.”
That blurred line, he explained, comes down to how veganism is often interpreted in practice.
He said: “I do think people should take a lot from its ethos. Respecting animals more and not just seeing them as something to fill your stomach."
Rather than viewing veganism as an all-or-nothing position, Dan believes its core values can inform better decision-making across the wider population.
He added: “We’re lacking respect. Not just cutting out animal products completely, but actually appreciating what we’re using.”
Processed alternatives and education
One area where Dan was particularly critical was the rise of heavily processed vegan substitutes designed to imitate meat.
He said: “I don’t agree with vegan steaks, I think it’s ridiculous to recreate the very thing you’re against.”
For him, plant-based cooking should focus on vegetables, grains and pulses in their own right, rather than replicas of meat-based dishes.
Dan added: “There are plenty of vegetables, nuts, seeds and grains. If you’re going to be vegan, at least be educated in what you’re advocating.”
He also questioned the assumption that vegan automatically means healthy.
Dan explained: “Vegan doesn’t necessarily mean healthy, I have friends who call themselves vegan but buy highly processed products that imitate meat, and that’s the part I don’t agree with.”
Veganuary: momentum or marketing?
Dan also expressed scepticism about the structure of Veganuary itself, questioning whether its impact is limited by its one-month framing.
“I think Veganuary is a bit of a fad,” he said. “It’s like Dry January.”
“If you’re trying to improve yourself, why only do it for one month of the year?”
While he acknowledged that Veganuary raises awareness and encourages discussion, he felt long-term behavioural change mattered more.
He added: “I fully back the ideology and understand it, but we should be taking parts of vegetarian and vegan lifestyles and applying them all year, not just for January.”
Knowing your strengths as a chef
Asked whether Veganuary has influenced his own private dining menus, Dan was clear that plant-based cooking is not where he feels strongest as a chef.
“It’s not my forte,” he said. “I could do it, but I don’t cook vegan food every day of my life.”
He compared it to being asked to cook outside his core discipline.
Dan added: “I could cook Italian food, but I’m not an Italian chef, it wouldn’t be as good as someone who lives and breathes it.”
Rather than following trends, Dan believes chefs should be honest about their strengths and focus on what they do best.
“My focus is respecting the produce, whatever that produce is.”
As Veganuary continues to evolve, Dan’s view reflects a wider conversation happening across professional kitchens: that better eating is less about labels and more about responsibility, education and respect - not just in January, but all year round.
written by abi kinsella
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Veganuary and the blurred line: A MasterChef champion's view
