Vegan & Beyond takes ethical food to the next level

The interior of Vegan & Beyond / Courtesy of Vegan & Beyond

By Chantal Terblanche

Quinn Phan, the owner of Vegan & Beyond, doesn't just talk the talk but walks the walk too. Her real life echoes the ethos reflected in her business. Her aim with her restaurant and shop is to share delicious vegan food and products with both vegans and non-vegans alike.

Phan is Vietnamese American and has lived in five countries, the longest places being Vietnam for 14 years, the U.S. for nine years and Korea for eight and a half years and counting. She has always loved baking, but at the beginning of 2020, while living in Korea, she decided to expand this passion into a business as she saw market demand for a vegan bakery.

Her first store, which opened in June 2020, was mainly a bakery and was only 7 pyeong (23 square meters). The first event she hosted was a potluck with 13 attendees. It was a tight squeeze but highly successful and Phan knew she was on the right track.

When Phan started at her first location she wasn't vegan. But as she learned more about veganism she started implementing many of the principles. At first, she just went pescatarian (avoiding all meat except fish), but then she watched the 2021 Netflix documentary "Seaspiracy" and decided to go vegetarian. She remained vegetarian until September 2021 when she went full vegan.

Quinn Phan hosts a Vegan Cheese & Natural Wine Tasting Vegan & Beyond, last Aug. 27. / Courtesy of Vegan & Beyond

In August 2021 Phan moved to her much bigger current location in western Seoul's Yeonhui-dong. This allowed her to lean into her passion for hosting and running events. Phan had always wanted to create a community space for foreign residents, especially as she knows what it is like to live abroad in numerous countries.

Phan is the only vegan in her family but is lucky to have a supportive family. Her mother was worried at first, as many family members and friends can be when they hear about people going vegan, with worries about her not getting enough protein and thinking she would only be eating salad. But Phan has completed the Vegan Nutritionist Diploma Course from the Centre of Excellence, covering both the theoretical and practical aspects of transitioning into and following a balanced vegan diet. The course covers what a person can do to meet their protein, calcium, iron and other nutritional needs, and how to create effective meal plans. Having this knowledge reassured her family and made her more effective in running her business.

Vegan & Beyond is 100% vegan, with each and every product within the restaurant and shop being vegan. Many times they have been asked why they don't offer non-vegan items on their menu and their reply is always the same: they want non-vegans to see that vegan food can be just as good, if not better, than non-vegan food and there is food for everyone to enjoy. There is no plastic within the shop and all their takeaway containers are made of corn syrup, which decomposes after a few months compared to about 200 years for plastic containers.

They also don't use refined white sugar in their products, as this is not vegan and less healthy, instead importing unrefined organic sugar from Brazil. Their produce is all organic, and their edible flowers are sourced from a supplier that makes flowers specifically for human consumption so as to ensure there are no pesticides or anything else that could hurt customers. Using such high-quality, environmentally friendly products might impact their prices slightly but they aren't willing to compromise on their environmental ethics and morals.

"I'm not trying to change people," Phan told The Korea Times. "You can only change yourself, and people will only change for themselves." So she believes in just showing the great things that being vegan brings and helping others learn through that. Everyone is on their own journey and can't be pushed, she feels.

Peruvian Rice at Vegan & Beyond / Courtesy of Vegan & Beyond

Phan grew up in Savannah in the U.S. state of Georgia, which is known for waffles and chicken. For this reason Phan knew she had to have it on her menu as an ode to her southern roots. On the menu the lasagna stew and the fried chicken mac and cheese are two of their most popular items. Both are her own original recipes and have no rivals in the Seoul culinary scene.

Fried chicken mac and cheese at Vegan & Beyond / Courtesy of Vegan & Beyond

When asked where she sees Vegan & Beyond going, Phan answered, "The purpose (of Vegan & Beyond) is to be a playground. Not just for vegans but for people who are interested, open-minded and want to learn more."

She continued to share her hope that "vegans and non-vegans can come together (at Vegan & Beyond) for a meal, to try new things and to make connections with others in the community."

A potluck at Vegan & Beyond held last Aug. 14 / Courtesy of Vegan & Beyond

But Vegan & Beyond is not just a restaurant. It also has a small zero-waste shop along with some vegan products for sale and it also hosts events regularly.

The Entrepreneur Talks & Networking event is a monthly gathering for entrepreneurs and business owners in Korea to share their stories and build networks. Phan hopes to bring entrepreneurial spirit together to share and learn about each other's businesses, startups, passions and leadership.

"Everyone who is interested in startups, entrepreneurship and doing business in Korea is welcome to join," Phan said, adding that she is always looking for guest speakers for the monthly event, and invites those interested to email her.

Some other monthly events are the Sunday evening vegan pot luck that is held on the third Sunday of every month. Anyone can attend and bring along a vegan dish to share. There are also 1:1 Korean English Language Exchange Meetups where participants speak both English and Korean with each other.

A new event that Phan is trying out is the Vegan Desserts & Wine Party on Feb. 18. This is an upgrade from your standard high tea! They will serve delicious vegan desserts and savory items paired with their imported wines.

And for those that don't just want to eat but create vegan items, there is something too. On March 4, people can learn how to make a variety of fresh vegan pasta. The class is in English and open to everyone. Customers are asked to bring their own containers so they can take all their freshly made pasta home.

There are plans to start cocktail classes too for those interested.

She has hosted makgeolli-making classes before run by Baekusaeng, and even upcycling sewing classes.

Customers enjoy tea and treats during the Vegan Afternoon Tea Party at Vegan & Beyond, Dec. 3. / Courtesy of Vegan & Beyond

Phan is working hard to make positive changes for the community. She continues to come up with new ideas for events and is always looking to collaborate with other community members. She truly cares about all those around her and is making Vegan & Beyond a permanent feature of the city's foreign community.

Learn more about Vegan & Beyond at linktr.ee/veganandbeyond, or follow them on Instagram @veganandbeyondkr or fb.com/veganandbeyondkr. Their opening hours are Thursday to Monday noon to 9 p.m. with the last order at 8 p.m.

Chantal Terblanche, from South Africa, lives here with her dog, Samsung. She runs the blog ClumsyinKorea.com and the Korea Events group on Facebook.