Vegan nutrition: Interview with Timo Hildebrand

Anuga: Dear Timo, thank you very much for taking the time for this interview. You have had an impressive career as a footballer and national goalkeeper, have written a children's book, are a successful entrepreneur and support charitable projects. You are a partner and brand ambassador for the food brand Veganz and (co-)owner of the restaurant VHY! in Stuttgart. What made you decide to take this path?

Timo: When I ended my career, I was looking for new challenges. I wanted to continue working for causes that are close to my heart. Vegan nutrition and sustainability are issues that are very important to me personally. I also wanted to show people that a plant-based diet is not only healthy, but can also be absolutely delicious. At the time, there was no purely plant-based restaurant in Stuttgart city center. So we put the idea into practice relatively quickly and put together a small team. Our head chef at the time came all the way from Berlin for the project. We then looked for another catering partner and found one in Schräglage. Tim Bengel came on board as another partner, he was also enthusiastic about the concept and joined us immediately. Then we started looking for a location and that was the starting signal for our beloved project. This is my lifestyle, so it made sense for me to make this statement in Stuttgart.

Anuga: How would you describe your eating style? How does a vegan/plant-based diet fit into competitive sport?

Timo: I see it like this: Many people would rather try a vegan diet every now and then than a small number of people eating a 100% vegan diet. That's exactly my lifestyle and that's what vhy stands for! We want to inspire people to try out new things and think outside the box and not dictate a diet. Many competitive athletes now eat a vegan diet and have shown that veganism and competitive sport go well together.

Anuga: How do you see the market for alternative proteins developing and what role does your restaurant play in this context?

Timo: The development is super exciting and shows great potential. More and more people are looking for sustainable and healthy alternatives to animal products. At vhy!, we want to support this development by showing how diverse and delicious plant-based proteins can be. We are constantly experimenting with new ingredients and products to offer our guests new taste experiences.

Anuga: Tell us a little more about vhy's philosophy! - What is your vision and what is particularly important to you?

Timo: Our philosophy is to introduce people to the benefits of a plant-based diet without compromising on taste. Our vision is to be a point of contact for everyone who wants to enjoy healthy, sustainable and conscious food. It is particularly important to us to use regional and seasonal ingredients and to prepare our dishes with a lot of love and creativity.

Anuga: What role does social responsibility - keyword sustainability - play in your restaurant?

Timo: Sustainability is a central part of our philosophy. We attach great importance to working in an environmentally friendly way, be it by using biodegradable packaging, reducing food waste or selecting suppliers who share our values. For example, we don't use orange or lemon slices to decorate our drinks, as 99% of them are thrown away afterwards.

Anuga: Who is your target group, what are the guests' favorite dishes and what is your personal highlight?

Timo: Our target group is very diverse - from convinced vegans to people who are curious about a plant-based diet to those who simply want to try something new. One of our guests' favorite dishes is the “Carbonara Style” pasta - incredibly delicious.

Anuga: How do you see the future of plant-based nutrition in gastronomy?

Timo: I am convinced that plant-based nutrition will become more and more present in the future. The health aspect combined with sustainability is almost unbeatable. For example, more and more company canteens are integrating vegan dishes and the choice is growing all the time - of course we're delighted that we can integrate our vhy! dishes more and more into the everyday lives of many people.

Anuga: Which innovations or trends in the field of alternative proteins do you currently see as particularly promising?

Timo: I find the developments in the field of fermented proteins and cell-cultured meat alternatives particularly promising. These technologies have the potential to fundamentally change the way we consume proteins. Not only do they offer health benefits, but they can also make a major contribution to reducing our ecological footprint. The new vegan steak from Planted, for example, comes very close to the original in terms of both taste and appearance.

Anuga: What role do innovation and creativity play in the development of your menu?

Timo: Creativity is at the heart of our cuisine. From time to time we also organize “Fine Dining” evenings, where our chef Timo can really let off steam. We always want to offer our guests new and surprising taste experiences. To achieve this, we are constantly experimenting with new ingredients and preparation methods.

Anuga: how was the response to the purely plant-based restaurant? What misunderstandings or misconceptions about plant-based cuisine do you encounter in everyday life?

Timo: The response to our purely plant-based restaurant has been overwhelmingly positive. Many guests are delighted and surprised by the variety and taste of our dishes. Of course, there are always misunderstandings and prejudices, such as the assumption that vegan cuisine is boring or not filling. But we have made it our mission to disprove precisely these prejudices.

Anuga: How do you keep up to date with current trends and developments in plant-based nutrition?

Timo: I regularly keep myself informed through social media, magazines and blogs. I also exchange ideas with other experts and like-minded people from the industry. Trade fairs such as Anuga are also an important source for finding out about the latest trends and innovations.

Anuga: Have you ever been to Anuga yourself and if so, what was your experience like?

Timo: Unfortunately, I've never been to Anuga myself, but I'm really looking forward to visiting in 2025 hopefully.