OUR PHILOSOPHY
Central to the philosophy of Vitao is the achievement of a state of Optimum Health in humans and humanity and to counter the acidifying and carcinogenic effects of modern food and lifestyles through humane and compassionate means. We have worked hard and continue to do so in order to get as close as possible to this goal. Add to this our unrelenting demand for optimum flavour in the food and drink that we produce and it becomes easy to see that Vitao is no ordinary restaurant. This is why Vitao has become the place chosen by people from all walks of life– Celebrities, sports personalities, famous nutrition analysts – to control weight, energise, reduce and prevent ill health, or just to have a delicious meal! Top nutrition analysts such as Dr. Gabriel Cousin and Brian Clement highly recommend us.
We want every visitor to be introduced to a life full of health and vitality, starting with a healthy body and we do this by adapting the knowledge gained from the cutting edge of nutrition research and ancient wisdom, and by keeping up to date with food nutrition developments. By doing this we have developed a number of pioneering techniques and practices.
Living FoodsLIVING FOODS
Vitao was the first restaurant in the UK to serve gourmet living food, and it’s a practice that we wholeheartedly believe in. Living food is the practice of serving food in as natural a state as possible by serving it completely raw or not heated above 48°c. Doing this preserves the maximum amount of enzymes, vitamins, life force and alkalines contained within the natural foods provided by the Earth.
AQUEOUS COOKING METHODS
Our pioneering and exclusive use of water based cooking, where food is not heated above 100°c, means that food is broken down gently ensuring maximum nutrient bioavailability and better assimilation. This also means we avoid the harmful carcinogens formed by frying, baking, roasting, grilling or browning.
UNIQUE VEGAN CUISINE
Everything we serve is 100% Vegan to encourage compassionate living, help stop climate change, and to promote good health. Where all vegan diets are free from cholesterol, our specialist foods go a step further and avoid, not only animal products which are carcinogenic, mycotoxic and highly acidic, but also plant based produce such as corn products, peanuts, cashew nuts and dates.
Throughout the history of mankind some of the greatest achievements have been made by people who were either vegetarian or vegan. These include:
- The world’s greatest scientists: Albert Einstein; Sir Isaac Newton; Thomas Eddison; Charles Darwin; Pythagoras; and Hippocrates, the father of western medicine.
- The greatest philosophers: Socrates; Plato; Aristotle; Immanuel Kant; Confucious; Chuang Tzu.
- Masters of creative arts: William Shakespeare; Leonardo Da Vinci; and Vincent van Gogh.
- Musicians: The Beatles; Moby; Lenny Kravits; Damon Albarn (Blur/Gorillaz); Ralf Hütter (Kraftwerk); and Prince.
- The most influential humanitarians and spiritual leaders: Siddhārtha Gautama, founder of Buddhism; Lao Tze, author of the Tao Te Ching; and Mahatma Ghandi.
- World Champion athletes: Martina Navratilova; and Carl Lewis, who won nine Olympic gold medals.
- Actors and celebrities: Woody Harrelson; Brigitte Bardot; Christian Bale; Natalie Portman; and Kate Winslet
ORGANIC PRODUCE
We strive to ensure that all food that we serve is organic except where organic certification is not available. The benefits of Organic food cannot be overstated as foods that are free from pesticides, genetic modification, or any other form of tampering can only be beneficial to the health of everyone and the well being of the planet as a whole.
NATURAL WHOLEFOODS
Organic, wholefoods are the foundation of our recipes. We were the first restaurant in the UK to avoid refined flours and cane sugars as well as artificial, GMO or chemically enhanced ingredients and we will continue to do so.
NATURAL, LOW GI SYRUPS
Understanding the dangers of sugary diets, we were the first restaurant in the UK to start using healthy alternatives in our cakes and savoury dishes. The Yacon and Agave syrups we use are suitable for those with diabetes and Candida.
SPROUTING AND GERMINATION
Using sprouted legumes, and germinated grains, nuts and seeds has been our unique way to make them easier to digest, and to increase nutrient uptake and alkaline forming in the body.
HEALTHY WHEAT AND GLUTEN FREE ALTERNATIVES
Vitao was also first in the UK to serve wheat free, non-carcinogenic steamed and raw cakes, as well as bread and pasta which is easier to digest helping to avoid the development of allergies caused by excessive wheat or gluten consumption.
HIGH QUALITY INGREDIENTS
We select only the highest quality and healthiest ingredients and ensure that all the ingredients we use are fresh and in the best state possible. We do not use any ingredient that has been stored in a way that may lead to it becoming spoilt.
FOOD COMBINING
We practice the principles of food combining in the preparation of all of our meals ensuring that you can easily select only those foods that work well together when digested.
CUTTING EDGE NUTRITION PRINCIPLES
In addition to food combining and living gourmet we endeavour to stay up to date with the latest in modern nutrition developments, and are constantly at work finding ways to bring these developments to you in the most delicious way possible. Our recipes are continually updated to bring you optimum health and taste.
ANCIENT WISDOM
We apply some of the ancient wisdom of Ayurved in the preparation of our food and drinks to help balance your mind as well as your body.
COMPASSIONATE AND SUSTAINABLE LIVING
The impact that we have on the planet and all living things is very important to us. This is why we choose to follow practices that are compassionate and promote sustainable living. Not only is our 100% Vegan cuisine compassionate to all living creatures, but it is also much kinder to the environment due to the fact that we do not rely on resource intensive animal farming. The raw foods that we serve require very little or no energy while our aqueous cooking methods require much less energy than conventional food preparation techniques and ensure that we have a reduced carbon impact when compared to other food service establishments. Choosing certified organic and natural foods means that we also do not contribute to farming methods that harm the environment with pesticides or unnatural chemicals. On top of all of that, we use packaging materials and consumables that are biodegradable, and get our energy from green energy suppliers. It is all these small things that we believe will help reverse the effects of climate change and help create a more beautiful world for every being on it.