Struggling to seek out wholesome vegetarian meals in Dundee, Nilufer Zerener determined to take issues into her personal arms and opened Vegana.
The Turkish chef has been busy since her vegan and vegetarian cafe opened on the finish of April on 127 Nethergate.
Nilufer – who additionally goes by Nili – moved to the town one yr in the past, after working as a chef in London for 4 years.
On the restaurant she labored in, she witnessed a crab being boiled alive. The vegetarian of six years determined there after which she couldn’t work there anymore.
“I used to be very unhappy,” she says.
“I really like animals very a lot and I used to be born on a farm. We had sheep, cows and a number of rabbits.
“Slowly, I realised that I can’t eat meat. As a Turkish chef, working in a restaurant day by day it was meat, meat, meat.”
Dundee’s new vegetarian cafe providing
One factor that’s not on the Vegana menu is meat. As a substitute, Nili prepares recent salads, sandwiches, burgers, truffles and extra day by day.
Her providing consists of vegan and vegetarian breakfasts, from massive plates with eggs, halloumi, beans, greens and chips to toast with candy or savoury toppings.
At lunchtime, the freshly made menu is common, that includes The Italian, The Arabic, The Cyprus, The Vegan, The Vegetarian and The Shakshuka fillings in a wrap, baguette, roll or toastie.
There are additionally jacket potatoes, burgers, soups and salad containers on provide to eat in or take away. To fulfill a candy tooth there are cake and pastries – and naturally Turkish baklava – in addition to smoothies, milkshakes and selfmade iced tea.
“That is my menu, I eat this at house day by day,” says the chef.
“The purchasers are very pleased, somebody got here and tried hummus, falafel and shakshuka with baked potato for the primary time, and so they beloved it.
“I’ve had some good critiques, and after they just like the meals I’m pleased.”
Vegana is open 8am to 4pm Monday to Thursday and 8am to 5pm on Friday and Saturday.
Dundee just like Turkish hometown
Changing into a chef was all the time Nili’s dream. Her total household are cooks, together with her brother, sister and mum.
She has not been house to Turkey for 4 years to see them, however she’s hoping to make the journey this summer season.
“I miss my household so much,” she says.
“However Dundee is just like my house metropolis Kuşadasi, it’s small and quiet.
“Scottish individuals are very pleasant. After I was in London I used to be not pleased, however I got here right here and now I’m.
“In London, I advised a buyer ‘sorry, my English just isn’t superb’ and so they mentioned ‘then go be taught’.
“However right here, folks say don’t fear and discuss to me slowly. They’re very good and I’m very pleased.”
The mom of two says Turkish faculties don’t educate English very effectively, so she’s learnt the language from working in cafes and eating places.
Her two youngsters, aged 13 and 9, are studying at school, whereas her husband Burhan helps within the cafe occasionally.
Vegana ‘makes me pleased’
This week, Vegana turned accessible on Simply Eat, that means Nili can get her meals delivered throughout the town.
She’s been impressed with how many individuals have visited her cafe to date.
“I’m shocked on the quantity of vegan folks right here,” she says.
“However some prospects are sceptical, they go previous and I can see them considering ‘no, no, no!’”
As she is presently the one chef within the cafe, it means lengthy days. Generally she involves the Nethergate eatery at 5.30am within the morning and doesn’t depart till 8pm at night time.
Nili hopes her efforts will make Vegana a thriving cafe that she will be able to develop on sooner or later. However an important half to her is doing what she loves.
“In a yr’s time, if I’ve the cash, I’d prefer to open different cafes,” she says.
“Possibly one in St Andrews, I hope. However that’s it, nothing too massive.
“I simply make meals, I don’t know another job and I have to work laborious for my youngsters.
“I’m getting ready wholesome meals that I really like and doing this job makes me pleased.”
