It doesn't always have to be the powder - egg substitutes are also a natural choice

Vegan dishes offer great potential for hotels and restaurants. It is true that only a small proportion of Germans eat a strictly vegan diet - according to a survey around three per cent currently do. But a quarter want to eat as little meat as possible. And twice as many see themselves as flexitarians and are therefore open to vegetarian and vegan diets . This is a great opportunity for catering and hotel businesses, especially when it comes to eggs. With vegan egg substitutes, caterers not only appeal to a larger target group - they also have economic advantages. This is because vegan alternatives do not harbour salmonella. This means that longer shelf lives are possible and the processing and storage of food is much less complicated.

Vegan egg replacer is not only available as a powder

You don't necessarily need egg whites and egg yolks of animal origin to make guests happy, says Björn Moschinski, who was honoured by "Feinschmecker" as the first chef for his vegan cuisine. The chef, catering coach, author and animal rights activist knows that there is a wide range of ingredients that work well as egg substitutes. What these are depends very much on the intended use. Whether for breakfast, lunch or in patisserie - there is a suitable egg substitute for every dish. But how do you achieve fluffiness and binding in desserts, omelettes or quiches? There are now plenty of answers to this question - mostly in the form of powdered egg substitute products. However, there are not only ready-made products for entering the world of vegan dishes, but also a whole range of natural ingredients, some of which are already part of everyday cooking.

The search for the right egg substitute

Anyone who looks closely at the ingredients of eggs knows that egg whites and yolks are not only rich in protein. Above all, they contain water as well as various fats and minerals. Björn knows that this must be taken into account in vegan recipes. An extra portion of fat and liquid can make all the difference. Kitchen teams who want to go vegan should therefore go on a discovery tour, he recommends. Once the decision has been made in favour of certain dishes, it is important to allow time to develop the actual recipes: "It never works perfectly the first time." But this is to be expected with all changes to the menu.

Silken tofu and chickpea flour for breakfast

Egg dishes are particularly popular at the start of the day. Almost one in two Germans would not want to do without a boiled egg in the morning. One in four likes to eat scrambled eggs for breakfast, followed by fried eggs (11%) and omelettes (6%). There is not yet a vegan alternative to boiled eggs, but scrambled eggs and omelettes are also vegan. Chickpea flour mixed with baking powder is often used as a base for omelettes. Instead of water, you can also use whipped silken tofu, which provides more moisture and creaminess. Add turmeric for the yellow colour and kala namak - black salt - for the slight sulphur note of cooked eggs.

Cake without egg thanks to fruit purée

Vegans don't have to go without when it comes to coffee. When baking muffins or cakes, for example, apple sauce or pureed bananas provide a moist and fluffy texture. This also applies to pancakes or waffles. Fruit purees are not only vegan, they also have other advantages: This is because apple and banana give desserts a natural sweetness and new flavour notes in addition to their fluffiness. Egg-free baked goods therefore not only appeal to vegans, but also to those who fancy new flavours and healthy alternatives.

Vegan dessert treat with chickpeas

Fluffy desserts often owe their consistency to whipped chicken egg whites. Aquafaba is a vegan protein alternative. Aquafaba is the cooking water from beans or pulses, such as chickpeas. When the beans are cooked, proteins and starch are added to the cooking water. This means that aquafaba can be whipped and used as a vegan protein substitute. In whipped form, the drained water from chickpeas adds air to dishes. The range is wide: from meringue and brownie to chocolate mousse and marshmallows, everything is possible.

Savoury dishes with flavour and without egg

Aquafaba is not only suitable for desserts, but also for savoury dishes. The natural emulsifier adds creaminess to vegan mayonnaise, sauces or soups - without any flavour of its own. For quiches that require both binding and a creamy texture, a mixture of soya flour and water is a tried and tested solution. Flaxseed, ground and mixed with water, can be used to make burgers or vegetable patties. Chia seeds have similar properties to linseed: Mixed with water and swollen, they make a gel-like binding agent for savoury fillings, burgers or patties.

Sustainable and healthy is the order of the day

Björn Moschinski advises restaurateurs not to use the vegan label in a bold way. This word alone provokes a strong rejection from at least a third of people. On the other hand, those who describe their purely plant-based dishes as healthy and sustainable arouse the interest of people who eat both animal and plant-based foods. Vegans, who have to search for such dishes in almost every restaurant, only need a green logo to find the corresponding offerings on the menu, says Moschinski, who has been vegan since his youth.