Fundraising to support the launch of the trailblazing chef’s first digital cookbook will kickstart from 26 December 2020
For some, 2020 was a write-off year—for others, it’s literally a year to write. Peggy Chan, the mind behind the much-missed Grassroots Pantry and Nectar and head of Grassroots Initiatives, has announced one last project to round off the year: her first digital cookbook, titled Provenance. The project is more than just a simple collection of recipes, however—Chan says it’s a culmination of all that she and her team have done over the years at Grassroots, and a collection of memories, knowledge and inspiration that has been collated to benefit the plant-based movement. The recipes and stories aim to coax and guide users into sourcing and cooking plant-based ingredients and dishes, while adhering to best practices that takes the planet’s health and sustainability into consideration.
The project will be funded through a Kickstarter campaign that launches at midnight on 26 December, 2020, with part of the proceeds also going towards funding their next impact venture, Zero Foodprint Asia—the first Asian outpost of a non-profit organisation originally started by restaurateurs Anthony Myint and Karen Leibowitz in 2015. The initiative focuses on food systems as the starting point for real changes when it comes to tackling the world’s global warming crisis. Chan first met the couple in 2018, became fast friends, and will be channelling her efforts to expanding the initiative in Asia—along with incorporating a new technology element that she will unveil later on.
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Provenance, as the name suggests, is all about going back to roots in more ways than one. Through beautiful imagery, recipes and words, Chan wants to nurture the readers’ appreciation for plant-based cuisine as well as educate on the importance of knowing our food systems and the impact that we wield when making daily decisions. The seed of the idea for Provenance actually came from the desire to create more noise around the work of Zero Foodprint, and to get people interested in regenerating the ecosystem. “It also happens to be something I've been longing to create for ages,” says Chan. “The e-cookbook is a way to share knowledge, engage with the public and help others replicate those taste experiences drawn from Grassroots Pantry to their homes.”
