One of the most common comments we hear from folks who are moving towards incorporating more plant-based dishes into their lifestyle is “I can’t give up cheese!” Well our goal is to provide a FOMO-free experience for all foodies, so while our neighbours to the south celebrate National Cheese Day, we’re flipping the script and celebrating ‘Vegan Cheese Day’ with a spotlight on Ontario!
Wine & cheese is a classic pairing and with this unique tasting event we will connect earth-conscious wine-lovers with the best local wineries and dairy-free artisan cheese brands with $5 from every ticket going to support the Toronto Vegetarian Food Bank.
At this “try & buy” event, guests will be able to order wines and purchase cheeses directly from our providers. Our goal, as always, is to elevate plant-based entertaining, by spotlighting the best, local wine & cheese to help consumers make the most of al fresco and patio dining this spring and summer.
“Social Herbivore has supported Toronto Vegetarian Food Bank for years and we are so excited and humbled to be the charitable partner for what is sure to be a memorable event celebrating vegan wine & cheese with friends!” – Matt Noble, Executive Director, Toronto Vegetarian Food Bank & Farm
Each cheese brand will present their own, unique tasting of their products to show the many ways you can incorporate them into all your cooking, not just on a cheese plate or charcuterie board! Partner those with wines from our participating wineries and you’re guaranteed to experience some magical pairings.
Let’s meet our cheese brands.
Future of Cheese (launched in 2020 by Chef Craig Harding and Maître Fromager Afrim Pristine)
The Future of Cheese came together as a means to create plant-based dairy alternatives for all foodies (whether they are vegan or not) using nutritious, clean ingredients that most importantly taste delicious! Our products are really unique as they are created by experts who have spent a lifetime mastering the art of cheese making and perfecting culinary mastery from the best in the world. These being our co-founders Chef Craig Harding and Maître Fromager Afrim Pristine (owner of The Cheese Boutique)!
Our customers are blown away at the flavour profiles of our plant-based cheeses and can’t believe they are actually vegan! We use the same cultures and aging process as traditional cheese makers do. Just taste our products and you will see why we call it cheese.
VEGCHEESE (founded in 2018 by the Sroujian family)
When Lori’s dad had a stroke in 2016, her tight-knit family reconsidered what they were eating. They researched heavily on the benefits of a plant-based lifestyle and soon after stopped consuming animal products. Their research also opened their eyes on the cruelty of factory farming and the detrimental effects it had on the environment. They knew too much to not make this important switch in their lifestyle. But gosh, they loved their cheese! Lori decided to start experimenting to find a recipe that would satisfy her family’s palates, melt beautifully in dishes and also hold its own on a cheese board. When friends and family wanted to purchase this new creation, she knew that she had to step up and make these products available to everyone!
People can now experience vegan poutine at Scotiabank arena featuring VEGCHEESE’s plant-based curds! They look and taste like dairy curds and melt beautifully in vegan poutine. There truly is nothing like them on the market.
Wandering Deli (founded in 2016 by Kira Lancaster)
Wandering Deli’s approach to vegan cheesemaking is about the experience, the ever satisfying ‘wander’ for your taste buds and expectations. We want to offer something that is unique unto itself rather than focusing on being a faux version of animal foods.
One of the perks of being a small business is the level of variety we are able to offer without having to do a wide scale product launch for each item, it’s what keeps things interesting for ourselves for sure but definitely what our regulars look forward to. Toronto is a cornucopia of food cultures celebrating each other, and we’re very glad to draw inspiration from this community.
In 2020, Kira opened Toronto’s first, vegan cheese shop located at 1598 King St West in Toronto where you can stock up on a variety of cheeses, as well as other plant-based charcuterie items.
We are delighted to also have the following wineries participate:
- Flatrock Cellars
- Karlo Estates
- Leaning Post Wines
- North 42 Degrees Estate Winery
- Stratus
- Tawse
- Two Sisters Vineyards
- Westcott Vineyards
Plus, we’ll be adding a few surprise plant-based food products in the coming weeks!
We hope you’ll join us at this one-of-a-kind event to showcase the best in elevated plant-based entertaining via a walk around tasting with a jazzy, weekend vibe.
You can pick up a copy of our book, the world’s first book on wine pairings for plant-based food at select Ontario locations or via our website.