Tessa used to be a major carnivore, a true blue Mallu Catholic. From fried frog legs to duck roast, she used to relish non-vegetarian food for almost 25 years.
After moving to Mumbai, she’s been spiritual and turned vegetarian in 2014, followed by veganism in 2015. Owing it to her will of steel, people in her life and her drive to achieve inner peace, she turned vegan and hasn’t looked back.
She thinks anybody who’s gotten a little taste of austerity would treasure it over anything else. She goes on to day, ”It makes me feel good when I eat just enough and not as much as I want, I cherish the discipline of eating a small bowl of sprout and a glass of almond milk for dinner. I feel a certain sense of achievement and calmness when I choose Sattvik food. Every time I indulge, the feeling isn’t that great. Although I have no strict rules such as I wouldn’t eat from places where they cook non-vegetarian food, I prefer to cook my meals, without much spice. I feel good about my body, myself, feel more purified’.”
Go-to restaurants/dishes: The Kitchen Garden in Bandra is a good place and so is The Rolling Pin in Lower Parel.