Monday Mashups: A Pop-Up Focused on Plants

Despite a rise in popularity of plant-based eating, anyone unfamiliar with the diet might think it’s bland or boring. To counter this idea, margarine brand Becel recently staged a greenhouse restaurant for consumers called PLNT, where everything inside—from the entrees and decor to the dinnerware and server outfits—was made entirely out of plants. This is definitely a restaurant we wouldn't mind spending some thyme at.

The restaurant, open at Toronto’s TD Tower Plaza from February 28 to March 2, enlisted the likes of TV personality and interior designer Jillian Harris, registered dietitian Tori Wesszer, and chef Matt Dean Pettit to help put together dishes with a goal of redefining how people view the term “plant-based.” The restaurant hosted seven seatings where diners could taste dishes including vegan mushroom wellington, crunchy guacamole bites, and deviled eggs, all of which used Becel products. The pop-up, which was produced and designed by EventSing and Jesson Moen and Crux Design & Build, created an outdoor oasis by installing garden lights, laying down sod flooring and wooden fencing, and creating a small forest that guests could walk through.

The inspiration for the event came after a successful pop-up PLNT in Montreal at Monsieur Resto and Bar with local chef Kimberly Lallouz. Fischer also explained that social coverage stemming from a Becel with Avocado Oil pop-up restaurant—which took place in Toronto in the fall to coincide with its product launch—was so impressive that the product quickly gained a 2.1 percent market dollar share in the margarine market.

Proceeds from the PLNT pop-up ticket sales were donated to the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada, and were matched dollar-for-dollar by Becel. We love all that inspired this pop-up and hope it will plant a seed and inspire you to devour the details as well! For more information on plant-based diets, check out the Becel website.