Can kids go vegan? That was the question my 12-year-old son Jack had to answer as part of his entry to the “Sarap Maging Vegan Kids Cooking Competition” at VegFest Pilipinas 2023 on Nov. 18 at Blue Bay Walk in Pasay City. His 8-year-old sister Juno wanted to join, too, but only one slot was open. To decide, Jack and Juno settled the matter via bato-bato pik (rock-paper-scissors).

In his video, Jack credited veganism for being healthy and strong. “Being vegan doesn’t only help you; it helps the planet and the animals. No one has to die!” Jack enjoys being creative and wants to become a pilot someday.

Another contestant, Ania Lopez, 10, explained in Filipino, “When you’re vegan, you help the animals because you don’t kill them. Your health will also improve. I used to be sickly; now, I’m stronger. You also get to help the environment.” Ania loves helping in the kitchen, writing, drawing, reading and dancing.

Being vegan is fun

The youngest competitor, Shiloh Rossner, 8, said she joined because she wants to show kids that being vegan is fun: “I can eat all kinds of things, like vegan chicken nuggets and spaghetti! And on top of that, I’m helping myself, the planet and the animals.” Shiloh and her sisters have been vegan for six years. She is creative and loves to dance, play the piano and tell jokes.

Before the event was a vegan cooking workshop of “Mesa ni Misis” author Juana Manahan Yupangco. Jack gamely volunteered to assist Yupangco during her demo and shared that his favorite vegetable was kangkong (water spinach). He helped make a healthy and delicious kimbap (Korean seaweed rice roll). For his efforts, she gave him one of her cookbooks.

AstigVegan founder and content creator RG Enriquez-Diez said she pitched the idea of a kids’ edition of a vegan cooking challenge to the Vegfest production team, who happily approved. Enriquez-Diez is the author of the groundbreaking cookbook “Filipino Vegan.”

“Today is about the future generation of vegans,” Enriquez-Diez said as she hosted the event. “Kids can enjoy not only eating but also cooking vegan food.”

The children had to prepare a flavorful, 100-percent plant-based dish in less than 45 minutes using only the products inside the mystery tampipi (woven box). The Good Food Community provided organic produce like lettuce, ginger, green onions, potatoes and eggplants. The Vegan Grocer supplied Unmeat luncheon meat, Vitasoy soy milk, ketchup, black salt (lends a sulfuric taste to vegan dishes for an eggy flavor), and nutritional yeast (or nooch, yellow flakes rich in vitamin B12, with a cheesy taste). Rice was also available to plate for the four judges. A parent can assist only with the chopping.

The panel included The Vegan Grocer’s cofounder and owner Auggie Yap Suratos, Tiktok vegan content creator Carissa Pureza, Unmeat senior brand manager Enrico Grio and the previous year’s “Sarap Maging Vegan Kids” champion Seven Candelaria.

Impressive dishes

Ania made a vegetable stir-fry of ginger, eggplant, sweet potatoes, potatoes, leeks and lettuce with soy sauce and vinegar. Candelaria commented, “I like how the vegetables taste. I can taste the garlic. I liked the Spam and everything.”

Pureza added, “It’s very comforting. I like that you used a lot of the ingredients, hindi ka na-limit. Although napakarami ng ingredients, you made it work. Nag-blend together yung mga lasa nila.” Ania placed third.

Not knowing that Spam is a competitor of event sponsor Unmeat, Jack whipped up what he called a “Spam Pinakbet” using beans, potato and sweet potato garnished with lettuce and luncheon meat on a bed of rice with ketchup and nori.

Despite the faux pas, Grio kindly said, “I like how it looks deconstructed. It shows creativity; it’s not the usual pinakbet you would imagine. Good way of using Unmeat luncheon meat.”

Suratos added, “Masarap! The veggies are fully cooked, hindi sya lanta (they weren’t soggy). For his age and being a boy, he executed it properly. I’m very, very impressed. Good luck!” Jack won second place. “I’m very proud of him,” said his sous chef and dad Jason.

Shiloh fashioned a rice ball into a cat with nori sheets and made a sauce out of nooch, ketchup, Massel broth cubes and soy milk to pair with the luncheon meat. Suratos said, “I like the creativity of the cat. I’m impressed with the use of all the ingredients for the sauce.”

Pureza added, “It’s age-appropriate. Pwede pambaon sa school with the kitty. Creative use of the seaweed. Cilantro made the sauce refreshing. Beans are perfectly blistered.” Shiloh took home the grand prize.

The kids were awarded prize money and generous gifts from Masflex, Sekaya and Unmeat.

As Juno took it all in, she said, “I have a year to prepare for the competition at next year’s Vegfest!” —CONTRIBUTED