I was attracted to the beautiful cover of Plant Academy: The Cookbook, and hoped to pick up a few vegetarian recipes to add to my rota. Well, the first thing I learned was that there are various categories of plant based eating, including vegan, vegetarian, and plant based, which in many ways is stricter. This is more of a culinary introduction to a way of eating, rather than a cookbook.

I can tell this is a five star book if you are truly interested in plant based diet and the techniques to get you there. For me, who is not even a vegetarian, it was a bit too deep and involved. This is not at all a bad thing, it just wasn't what I expected.

So, if you want a beautiful textbook in how to do plant based eating, and want to add some great tricks and recipes to being able to carry this out, this is your book! If like me, you wanted a couple of vegetarian recipes to add to your weekly cooking, then not so much. This is not a criticism of the book, just my wrong expectations of what it was.

Final rating, five stars for true plant based cooks, four star just as insight into a type of eating I was unfamiliar with.

Thank you to NetGalley, Lauren Lovatt, and the publisher for allowing me a look at this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

4/5 ⭐️

Thank you to NetGalley, Quarto Publishing Group -Leaping Hare, and Lauren Lovatt for providing me with this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I’ve been vegetarian for almost a decade now and was vegan for most of that time, so I’m always looking for new cookbooks with recipes to try. This book reads almost like a textbook. That’s not necessarily a bad thing, just something to note. I do think it is a very good book for people who are new to plant-based diets and want to really dive into it on a whole food level. That’s very key here because not everyone has the time or inclination for that. Which is fine! You don’t have to make your own nut milk or fermented cheeses to be a good vegan/vegetarian, but if you want to try it out…grab a book like this.

I do enjoy that it’s very descriptive about techniques and equipment because there’s a lot of new stuff involved when you transition over and not everyone will be familiar with it unless they’ve either worked in a kitchen or have cooked a lot. The recipes are interesting and varied. I have some ideas that I want to incorporate into my daily life from this book which is honestly how I usually use cookbooks most anyway. The savory granola knocked me sideways. I don’t know why I hadn’t thought about that because I LOVE savory oatmeal. I literally screamed out loud when I read that.

If you’re looking for plant-based recipes, this would be a good fit, especially if you are new to the transition. If you are looking to expand your horizons it would also be a good fit because there are some interesting takes in here and some genuinely good information. Like I said, it reads like a text book…but one that accompanies a class that you are really excited about and paid money to go to during a vacation abroad. It’s fancy and memorable, but still very informative.

This book is very technical in nature so Plant Academy is an accurate name. It is technique focused rather than recipe type. It has sections on adaptogens and plating and cold vs hot smoking. It’s for a more adventurous cook than I am, bit it’s interesting to read even if I don’t ever see myself making bean butter. Very informative.

As someone very familiar with plant based cooking, this book appeared intriguing. It did not disappoint. I really appreciated learning new techniques and even a few flavor combinations I had never thought to try before. Though some of the dishes are a bit time consuming, they are worth it in the end.

Thank you to the publisher and net galley for my advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

I found this book to be very useful. It has tons of great tips and recipes. I love the essential stocks, aquafaba mayo, cashew sour cream, harissa sauce, plant cream, nasi campur, and caramels are all fantastic! Gave me a lot of new ideas and food to make, which is what a cookbook should be all about!

Very few cookbooks are both plant based cooking focused and so nuanced and balanced.
Very useful information about sauces, seeds and soaking time and fine dining dishes.

Quick Summary: An encyclopedia on everything you need to know for a plant-based life and beyond

My Review: Plant Academy: The Cookbook by Lauren Lovatt is a 2025 release from Quarto Publishing Group. It is all things plant-based, from techniques and recipes to a history on the lifestyle, from past to present.

About the Book: "PLANT ACADEMY: THE COOKBOOK is the inspirational cookery manual for tasty and beautiful vegan food, teaching the essential ingredients and key techniques you need to create delicious and stunning plant-based dishes.

Lauren Lovatt, visionary founder of pioneering culinary school Plant Academy and author of Mind Food, shares her unique teaching expertise, demonstrating that whole-food, plant-based cooking is not only rich in textures and flavour profiles but also refined and appetising on the plate.

Focusing on over 50 techniques,including how to make nut milks and cheeses, how to handle ferments and how to create intriguing flavour and texture profiles, this contemporary handbook is a must-have for anyone who wants to elevate their plant-based cooking. Starting with the staple ingredients that should be in every vegan's pantry, the book moves on to explain all the elements of building a successful plant-based dish, from curating creative combinations to refining the way in which you plate up.

Featuring over 40 recipes, including:
- Seasonal poke bowl
- Massaged kale
- Fermented ginger cheesecake
- Wild Rosti
- Adaptogen adobo
- Courgette cannelloni

With contributions from Plant Academy experts such as celebrated Michelin-green-starred chef Richard Buckley, plant-based food consultant Carolina Chinea, and award-winning author Rachel De Thample alongside striking photography from Sara Kiyo Popowa (@shisodelicious) and delightful illustrations from Sophie Dunster (@Gung_ho_london), this innovative, inspiring cookbook is sure to get you fired up for plant-based living."

In My Own Words: This most brilliant cookbook is an in the moment class on what living the plant-based lifestyle out loud is and what it can be like.

My Final Say: Oh, to sit at the feet of this author and a host of other contributors. I loved this cookbook! I was literally soaking up every morsel of information, as it was presented. I learned what was what in terms of equipment, sauces and stocks, base ingredients, fermenting, sprouting and more. The tasty ingredients and the colorful array of flavor profiles did it for me. Yum!

The inclusion of pictures, illustrations, and detailed tables only served to enhance the learning experience. I appreciated everything! It reminded me of the past living food classes I used to take when I started my own plant-based journey. I was both encouraged and inspired.

Special Comments: I do hope that there will be other volumes to go along with this book. Some of the recipes were immediately doable, while others were more involved. Still, I want to try to make them. My Wish: I would love to see other recipes to go along with this, such as rainbow salads, nut loaves, plant pasta dishes, and hot and cold soups of the vegetable and fruit variety.

Other: Readers who want to get serious about approaching a plant-based lifestyle and a healthful journey should definitely pick up this cookbook. It is a book that deserves to be savored.

Rating: 5/5
Recommend: Yes
Audience: G
Keeper: Yes
Favorites Shelf: Yes
Status/Level: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Sincere appreciation is extended to the author, to the publisher (Quarto Publishing Group –Leaping Hare | Leaping Hare Press), and to NetGalley. Thank you for granting access to a digital ARC of this title in exchange for an honest critique. It was such an incredible opportunity, and I am grateful that I was given the chance to review this work.

An intriguing, technical approach to plant-based cooking. Probably not for the beginner or someone just getting into plant-based meals.

Particularly interesting if you're looking to learn techniques behind plant based cooking, rather than just recipes, Definitely some tips in here I'll be putting to good use. Informative, interesting and easy to follow.

What a great book! I have my share of plant-based and vegan cookbooks, and this fills an important space in the chef's repertoire. Perfect for a vegan cook wanting to stretch their flavour techniques, and also perfect for cooks and chefs who either want to explore animal-free cooking, or to expand their repertoire. I love physical cookbooks, and this is one I'll definitely be adding to my wishlist!

5 stars

Any vegan who makes an effort to eat healthfully - i.e., be mindful of nutrients, not eat nonsense just because it's plant-based - knows that doing this right requires planning, thought, and intention. As a result, any time a new plant-based cookbook comes up, I have to tear into it. There is always a need for more great resources in this realm. Fortunately, _Plant Academy: The Cookbook_ is exactly that: an excellent resource that fills a very specific niche.

Transparently, I got so excited by the title that I anticipated more of a traditional recipe book than what this actually is: a combination of recipes and techniques. I'm an avid cook (and vegan), and while I haven't been to culinary school, I know my way around a kitchen. That said, I found so many new ideas and strategies here. While I think everything in this book is doable for even advanced beginner/intermediate cooks, I also think some of it may SEEM somewhat advanced. Readers should anticipate some recipes, for sure (and I know that massaged kale is going to become a staple in this house!), but they should also prepare for some new content, terminology, and techniques.

I really enjoyed learning as I read, and I'm even more excited to put the new info to use in my kitchen. Happy reading and (plant-based) eating!