Plant Culture Pop-Up Restaurant

Overview

Often considered the material of choice for hippies or a strain of marijuana with no high, hemp is one of the most versatile plants around.

Laws are in the process of being loosened around non-psychoactive cannabis in New Zealand, which will allow the country's 40-odd commercial growers to sell the seed as food. Enter Plant Culture, a pop-up restaurant and hemp protein company hell bent on educating New Zealanders about hemp and its nutritional benefits in a factual, safe and professional format.

Over three evenings this June, Plant Culture will be serving a three-course menu all made with hemp seed. The feast will be entirely plant based and has been designed to showcase the versatility and benefits of nature's most nutritious seed. Picture a menu comprising gourmet bread, pizza, ice cream and chocolate — all made with hemp seed. The evening will kick off with an interactive workshop by Plant Culture's Cameron Sims followed by the three-course meal designed by Wise Cicada's Gautam Narayan.

Hemp seed is one of the most abundant, environmentally proactive forms of protein and Omega 3 on the planet. Globally, New Zealand and Australia are among the last countries to approve every component of this super food for human consumption. At present, hemp seed oil is a mainstream consumer good yet the protein rich by-product is commonly sold for 'animal consumption.' In conjunction with New Zealand's upcoming legislative changes regarding the purchasing of all hemp seed products, Food Minister David Bennett, recently endorsed the seed as a beneficial and safe product, fit for humans.