Chef Matthew Kenney will showcase his four plant-based dining concepts on the three floors of Expo 2020 Dubai, which showcases the most impressive human innovations on Earth in the past 170 years, and It will last until March 31, 2022. Achievements will be exhibited in Terra's Sustainability Pavilion, emphasizing the environmental and personal health benefits of his vegan food. The chef will focus on the innovations in the plant-based market, especially in the high-end catering sector, and the significant progress it has made.
"In recent years, the benefits of plant-based living have received so much attention-not only for our health but also for the environment. It's all about cooking healthy and sustainable cooking by using clean, organic and unprocessed ingredients. To create vibrant dishes," Kenny said in a statement. "We are very happy to be a member of Expo 2020 Dubai, and look forward to continuing to create innovative dishes that everyone is familiar with but innovative."
Terra will have three levels of sustainable achievement and innovation, with Kenny's plant-based contributions at each level. The first floor will host Veg'd, a fast food concept that Kenny first launched in March. The chef took over a closed store in Del Taco, California, to create his fast-food pop-up concept.
Rivals in Dubai will replicate the menus of the original locations, including burgers with Veg'd signature sauce. Other menu items will include vegetarian and tofu bowls, specialty desserts and breakfast staples such as burritos and sandwiches, including JUST Egg’s vegan egg substitute. To complement the JUST Egg vegan egg substitute, the restaurant also offers tempeh bacon, vegan sausage, mashed potatoes and vegan cheddar cheese.
On the next level of the Sustainability Pavilion, guests can visit Kenny’s Mediterranean and Middle Eastern institution XYST. This restaurant specializes in comfort food including savory pies, soups, sandwiches, etc. At night, it becomes a cocktail bar, offering a rich menu of small snacks, including kofta, vegetarian halloumi, stuffed peppers, Flat bread, olives and falafel.
Finally, the Terra roof will host MUDRA, a 360-degree experience that combines plant-based cuisine, design, art and landscape. The lively restaurant offers home-made pizza menus with signature vegan cheeses, offering a style menu that can be shared. Other products include kebabs and sushi dishes-covering a variety of cuisines. The restaurant will provide spectacular views of the fair, an open kitchen and a rich vegetarian cocktail list to satisfy any customer’s taste.
Beyond the three levels of Terra, Kenney's food truck concept MAKE will traverse the entire Expo. Food trucks will provide smoothies, noodle bowls, sandwiches, etc. for those who need quick plant-based meals.
Kenny's appearance at Expo 2020 Dubai is not the chef's first plant-based endeavor in the region. The celebrity chef worked with environmentalist and Saudi royal member Prince Khalid bin Alwaleed to launch a plant-based menu for two Four Seasons hotels in the Middle East.
These two plant-based advocates introduced Kenney's "Folia" concept to Dai Forni and Sinotoho, introducing vegan cuisine to two top hotels in the area. This move aims to promote plant-based diets and sustainability in the region and the world, and draw attention to the importance of plant-based food in the future.
"The Four Seasons Folia concept is an incredibly exciting time for the transition to a more sustainable future," Kenny said. “Creating a menu that seamlessly intersects with the hotel’s existing fine dining is a project we like, and working with the Kuwaiti team is a dream come true.”
The plant-based concept has just entered the third season of the region. Folia brings a six-course botanical experience to the Four Seasons Hotel Riyadh in the heart of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The vegetarian menu will offer specialties such as Cacio e Pepe, Macadamia Chevrolet Beetroot and Lasagna. The lasagna will be served with pistachio pesto and macadamia ricotta cheese.
Prince Khalid said in a statement: “Personally, the launch of the Folia in Riyadh season is indeed the most important moment of our collaboration with Chef Kenny so far.” “KBW Ventures is proud to be launched by my hometown of Riyadh. Innovative and healthy dishes orchestrated by one of the culinary masters as part of the Kingdom’s hospitality and entertainment."
In the United States, Kenny's plant-based influence is rapidly expanding. The chef recently developed XMarket in collaboration with vegetarian retail giant PlantX. After acquiring Kenney's New Deli concept and cooperating with it, PlantX launched a physical retail store featuring a vegetarian New Deli menu. PlantX just opened its fourth store in San Diego, adding its stores in Canada and Venice, California.
"MKC (Matthew Kenney Cuisine) and PlantX are fully in line with our common mission to provide the public with complete plant-based alternatives," Kenny said in a statement. "In addition to our retail and e-commerce plans, we are also committed to investing in and developing innovative products to bring sustainable and healthy changes to the culinary field."