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Bristol chef and food stylist celebrates veg in new cookbook
Anna Shepherd’s new cookbook is all about teasing out amazing flavours from our earth’s roots, shoots and leaves.
“There is a whole world of incredible flavour and texture that is untapped in most vegetables,” she tells Bristol24/7 passionately. “They’re such dynamic and delicious ingredients that we don’t give enough credit to.”
Recipes from Love Vegetables are enough to make you run to the nearest greengrocers and buy the lot: think five-spiced mushrooms and walnut ragu, or a sweetheart red curry.
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It’s all part of Anna’s mission to shift vegetables “from colourful sides to dynamic centrepieces”.
“I know that my body craves lots of vegetables, particularly when vegetables are treated with the same enthusiasm and respect that animal products are – rightly – given,” she says.
Love Vegetables is all about bringing out the best in vegetables – photo: Quarto Publishing PLC
“I think we’re all looking for ways to make eating a wider variety of fresh foods easier, without leaning so much on meat and simple carbs, although there’s absolutely a place for them.
“I’m just keen to reframe people’s relationship with vegetables and get them to see the potential in a carrot and other vegetables which people might be intimidated by.”
“Take celeriac,” she says, “which has a face that only a mother could love, but has an intriguing celery/creamy flavour that works well with Indian spices and can be shaved into ribbons and dressed in a rich Caesar-style dressings. And there you have another recipe: shaved celeriac and hazelnut caesar.
Anna’s passion for vegetables is palpable. The food stylist, recipe developer and cookery teacher began her career in food at Riverford Organic Farmers over a decade ago.
Originally joining as a member of the marketing team, Anna worked her way into the cooking jobs, eventually creating a role for herself leading the veg box cooking classes.
“I think the fact that I’m a home-taught cook means that I’ve learnt how to do certain things in an intuitive way,” she reflects.
“I’m sure there are many things I could do better, but the slightly random trajectory of my career and experience has helped me to explain “cheffy” techniques in my recipes in a conversational and informal way, which I hope will appeal to readers and home cooks.”
Anna’s career in food styling was a massive turning point in her career. She worked with chef and food journalist Anna Jones, assisting her on shoots and learning about the world of cookbooks.
Anna has lived in Bristol for eight years, and recently set up her own food styling studio, the Greenbank Kitchen Studio, which she rents out for food, products and lifestyle shoots.
For beautiful fresh produce Anna recommends Reg the Veg in Clifton Village, Hugo’s and the Five Acre Farm Shop in Bedminster, and Leigh Court farm stall at the Saturday market on Whiteladies Road.
Some of Anna’s favourite veg-based eateries in Bristol include Root and Sonny Stores, and she “had the best leek of my life” at Paco Tapas about three years ago, and still thinks about it fondly today.
Anna shares her delicious recipes and food photography on her Instagram account, but if you really want to get in on the veg action and boost your veg confidence, Love Vegetables will truly make you fall in love with said veg.
You can purchase a copy of ‘Love Vegetables: Delicious Recipes for Vibrant Meals’ at major booksellers now.
Main photo: Anna Shepherd
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