1. In the culinary world, gourmet may be
compared to haute couture or avant-
garde in fashion. Simply put, it pertains to
food that uses high-quality materials and
prepared with much more care and
precision as regular cookery. Naturally, this
also connotes expensive ingredients, fancy
presentation and an overall fine dining
experience this is usually reserved for special
occasions.
During special occasions, many vegan connoisseurs are excited to showcase their
advance techniques like dehydration and fancy ingredients like flower essences,
exotic oils, and exorbitantly priced spices like saffron. These alone are enough to
impress even those who are not vegetarian. In gourmet cuisine, simplicity takes a
back seat and the sky’s the limit in creating an unforgettable gustatory delight. With
vegan food though, sometimes the ingredients alone are enough to create a lasting
impression.
As motivations for turning to a vegan lifestyle vary from health, religious, cultural or
ethical reasons, the range of culinary creations also encompass a gamut of dishes
from the expected vegetable and fruit salads to the exotic dish made with
seaweed, mosses and even algae. In a looser definition, unusual ingredients
presented in a unique fashion can perhaps be considered as gourmet. A spirulina
smoothie or an cheesecake made with Irish moss may be viewed by some as such
while others will classify this under the exotic food category. Professional chefs may
also disagree on this as their definition of gourmet is stricter based on their years of
culinary education and experience.

2. It’s not uncommon for creative chef to decorate a salad with edible flowers;
deepen the flavor of a soup, spread and pasta with exotic mushrooms and truffle oil;
or use aromatic botanical essences in desserts and beverages. This can be
considered gourmet in some aspects.
Organic produce, usually though just simple fruits and vegetables, is priced much
much more than conventional produce. As such, these are prepared with more
care to retain their nutrients and showcase their fresh taste. Presentation of the final
dish is also carefully considered to be able to give recognition to the care farmers
have grown it.
A vegan lifestyle’s diet is immensely healthy as long as it is prepared correctly and
sustainably. Nutrition may not necessarily be the top priority when coming up with
gourmet food. However, as vegan cuisine’s pantry is stocked up with fiber-rich,
nutrient-dense ingredients, sometimes it cannot be helped that any dish that comes
out of the kitchen full of healthy wholesome goodness.