Features / Plant Based
The conscious chef crafting community around plant-based creations
In a world that is increasingly focused on sustainability and environmental awareness, one chef’s journey has not only transformed her career but also her entire perspective on food.
Chef Rachel Mills’ journey into food was by no means linear or even intentional.
With roots embedded in environmental management and a background in sustainability working for the Environment Agency, she has blended her professional knowledge with her personal health journey, leading to the creation of a thriving business that celebrates plant-based eating and puts community at its heart.
is needed now More than ever
Fava bean and beetroot hummus, maple glazed golden beet, chioggia beetroot ceviche, hazelnut and pumpkin seed dukkah, orange mint oil and sourdough -photo: Greenhouse Plant-Based Dining
Having suffered badly with psoriasis she says she’d “been on a bit of a health journey” since her mid-teens. The pain and inflammation caused by her condition reached its peak right before the first COVID19 lockdown.
Her treatment options had to be cancelled and she began to look into other means of “healing” herself.
Up until then, her dietary choices were guided by a desire to reduce her environmental impact. She definitely wasn’t vegan, although she didn’t eat a lot of meat and dairy.
Her flare up paired with the lockdown, paved the way for a serendipitous shift.
She turned to a plant-based diet and within six months her condition cleared up entirely – no medication, treatments or steroids. “It’s five years now and that is bonkers to me because I just lived with it for more than 20 years,” she says.
But she does feel guilty it took her so long to get on board with going vegan. She notes how quickly her son, now nine, volunteered to join her, believing it to be a testament to the close connection children often have with nature and animals.
Lemon and bay posset, almond and black pepper amaretti and candied lemon peel – photo: Greenhouse Plant-Based Dining.
After realising that this is how she now wanted to live her life, she took cookery classes at Demuths Cookery School in Bath, with the aim of cooking good, elevated plant-based food.
The turnaround was quick and, before long, she was putting her newly acquired skills to the test, putting on pop ups with friends and family in The Manor Hall at Coalpit Heath. She’s been doing monthly popups in the same village hall ever since.
While she often sells-out her events in days, they remain intimate and cozy. She jokes that her guests are so loyal that “her friends and family hardly ever get a look-in anymore”. But she is keen to emphasise that their popularity is “lovely” and “the biggest compliment ever.”
The usual four course dinner at the village hall is priced moderately at £34 with a bring your own booze (BYOB) offer – something that goes down a treat with her regulars.
She adds: “It’s always really nice when everyone’s settling in and you just hear bottles popping, it’s a lovely atmosphere.” She has been told by a few people that she could put the prices up, but she’s reluctant.
The venues are intimate and no-frills – photo: Greenhouse Plant-based Dining
Each menu is based on what organic seasonal produce is available from her suppliers and menus change for every event to reflect this.
Promoting wildlife, healthy ecosystems and food sustainability is the focus of Greenhouse.
But this needs to be balanced to ensure accessibility. “The fact that it’s in a village hall and there are communal tables makes it feel much more accessible. The ingredients I use are relatively cheap to buy, especially the dried beans and pulses.”
She is also aware of the wider importance accessibility has in leading a plant-based lifestyle.
“It’s a really interesting and also polarising talking point. I definitely think it’s possible to eat vegan on a budget, particularly if you use beans and pulses.
“But it assumes that everyone’s comfortable cooking in the kitchen and that in itself is a privilege, because there’s people that for economic or social reasons haven’t been taught how to cook or develop those skills.”
Because of that, food – whether you’re vegan or not – is going to cost more, because you’re going to rely on other stuff. Hosting these events in such an intimate style lends itself to enhancing that accessibility.
People are able to watch her plate up and listen to her talk through her recipes and discuss her passion for plant based food.
She adds it’s also nice “when someone recognises something that you as a chef, made a conscious effort to do something in a particular way or to add a particular flavour or ingredient.”
It also ignites other people’s passion. Rachel explains: “I think that’s why a lot of people come back because they like to share recipes and like to show cooking techniques and that sort of stuff.”
Her food appeals to everyone: usually half of her guests are not vegan and simply just really like plant-based foods.
Chef Rachel Mills: photo: Rae Hadley
She is keen to emphasise that while she would love for more people to go vegan, she doesn’t want to alienate anybody.
She believes by demonstrating the rich variety of flavours that can be drawn out from plants, paired with a tangible
connection to where the food comes from, she will inevitably bridge the divide in lifestyles and thinking.
She says: “I think that if they have that comfort factor in other things, then they perhaps might be a little bit more open minded to what’s on the plate.”
The space and its communal seating adds to that by fostering a sense of togetherness, making the experience feel more personal and inclusive.
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Looking ahead, her goal is to continue expanding her focus on food sustainability.
She hopes to do more events that connect people to the places where their food is grown, fostering a deeper appreciation for the food on their plates.
Her intentionally slow-growing business enables her to remain grounded in her core philosophy – offering delicious, sustainable and inclusive food that connects people to nature, health and the environment.
This article is taken from the May/June 2025 Bristol24/7 magazine
Main photo: Greenhouse Plant-Based Dining
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