Lauren Lovatt is a plant based chef, culinary educator and entrepreneur who founded Plant Academy cookery school in 2019 to inspire passion through plants by inviting the leading minds in the industry to teach on their signature Plant 123 chef training program. As well as a passion for plants Lauren’s main focus is bringing the conversation of Mental Health to the table through her revolutionary book Mind Food, released in 2022 after many years of curating supper clubs, hosting events at festivals such as Wilderness and Shambla, and leading retreats on this important concept. Having travelled the world cooking and teaching she previously consulted for HOY Paris, Paris’ first plant-based hotel, and is currently working with Alchemy Academy in Bali. Lauren is forever evolving her own food art and conscious impact on the food world.

Sara Kiyo Popowa is a food photographer and recipe developer [...] with over 106,000 followers. She is the author of Bento Power and The Opinionated Guide to Vegan London. Sara has been an integral part of Plant Academy since the beginning, first coming on board to teach masterclasses about her book Bento Power and photography and going on to open a joint venture with Lauren Lovatt ‘The Food Studio’ where they created the Plant Academy online courses and much more. Sara’s passion for plants and incredible photography skills brought Plant Academy to life in a new way and all of the photos and animations for the courses, online and for the Plant Academy book, have been created by her. She shares with Lovatt a devotion to the power of the visual and communicating plant-based food in a mesmerizingly bold and aesthetic way. This book and all of Plant Academy would not be the same without her.

Sophie Dunster is a London based artist and illustrator specializing in storytelling through design and communication. Sophie works in many mediums from pencil, fineliner or watercolor through to silk screen printing – with a keen eye for detail. Her love of color goes hand-in-hand with her joy at finding inspiration in the natural world. Sustainability has played a big part in her life, particularly as she was raised on a low-carbon lifestyle. Sophie is passionate that art has the power to inspire change and spark joy. She can often be found wandering galleries, on long countryside walks with her dog Quincy and collecting teaspoons from hidden antique shops. She can be found at: [...]

Rachel De Thample is an award-winning author. She teaches fermentation and seasonal nutrition courses at River Cottage in the UK. She served as Course Director of the College of Naturopathic Medicine’s Natural Chef diploma course, was the Head of Food for the British organic retailer Abel & Cole and Commissioning Editor of Waitrose Food Illustrated. She’s written six books including Winter Wellness, Tonics & Teas and River Cottage Fermentation Handbook, which won a Guild of Food Writer’s Award.

Carolina Chinea is a dedicated advocate for plant-based living. Since 2007, she has travelled the world as a plant-based business trainer, designing innovative projects and educational experiences. She is passionate about cultivating creativity in plant-based living, nourishing minds, and empowering businesses. Carolina has curated over 100 workshops and collaborated with schools like Matthew Kenney, Plant Academy, Aurea, and Alchemy. She has brought concepts to life from Evergreen Organics in Qatar to Vibe in Cambodia. Her qualications from Matthew Kenney Culinary and Hofmann Culinary School underpin her work in creating unique food experiences.