Veg Out 476: One Love Veg

On this sweltering hot weekend, who better to chat with than Ikeila Wright from One Love Vegetarian – purveyor of delicious meals with just the right amount of spice? From corn soup to roti to callalloo, One Love offers a variety of nourishing Carribbean creole dishes made with care and love. On this episode, Sweta and Steve talk to Ikeira about Ital* food, Rastafarian culture, and finding community here in Toronto. Since One Love offers plant-based cuisine infused with Caribbean flavours, Ikeila emphasized the importance of sourcing Indigenous foods from the islands like collard greens, Jamaican sweet potato, and herbs like thyme. Listen in to find out how One Love evolved from selling delicious corn soup at festivals and concerts around the city, branching out to cook more dishes and offer catering, then opening the beloved green storefront. Plus: raising five kids on a plant-based diet! Did you know? One Love is one of the longest-standing vendors at the Veg Food Fest (speaking of that – stay tuned for announcements about how this year’s virtual festival is taking shape). Visit One Love at 854 Bathurst Street in Toronto’s Annex neighbourhood. *In the Caribbean, Ital refers to food from Indigenous crops that promotes good health and liveliness. It’s a holistic term that encompasses history, food, and culture. Ikeila explains like coming from a culture of oppression has bred ingenuity and resourcefulness, and she draws from this resourcefulness to make vegetable and plant-based foods taste amazing (hint: it’s all about the seasoning).