With Aberdeenshire-born chef head chef Emma Rae at the pass, the plant-based dining scene in Scotland has stepped up a gear with the opening of Erpringham House, the 100% plant-based, plastic-free restaurant in Leith Street, Edinburgh.
Co-founder Loui Blake was burned out, suffering chronic fatigue and had been off work for a month when he stumbled across a video about plant-based diets on YouTube.
Fast forward to today and the 30-year-old vegan entrepreneur, marketing guru and angel investor, who won the 2019 European RMI Future Marketing Leader of the Year, has just opened the third Erpingham House restaurant with co-founders footballers Declan Rudd and Russell Martin – their first in the country.
Situated in Bonnie & Wild’s Scotish Marketplace, Erpingham House restaurants can also be found in Norwich and London – a restaurant, bar and cafe concept that is built on health, sustainability and delicious food, as much as a good time.
Head chef Emma ensures produce is locally and responsibly-sourced, believing healthy food should also be delicious and sustainable. You’ll find seasonal favourites bursting with flavour that are kind to you and the planet, predominantly made from Scottish produce.
Centred on a mantra of ‘eat plants and be kind’, Erpingham House is proud to be free from single use plastics and offset all carbon emissions by planting trees.
Expect a 100% plant-based menu focusing on modern vegan cuisine that appeals to all diets and lifestyles.
Emma has a degree in environmental science and specialised in vegan cooking after returning from travels in Southern Asia. She studied raw food in Bali, cooked alongside families in rural India and ran the kitchen of the New York Farmacy pop-up.
Combining her passion for the environment with her love of food, she wants to help bring plant-based eating into the mainstream.
The restaurant is free from any animal products whatsoever, making food suitable for vegans, vegetarians and those with allergies.