WASHINGTON 鈥� Pinky Cole is on a mission to change the way the world views vegan food 鈥� and it鈥檚 not with a bowl of quinoa and a slab of tofu.
Her fare of choice is more along the lines of a sauce-covered patty, piled high with pickles, shredded lettuce, 鈥渃heese鈥� and 鈥渂acon,鈥� all sandwiched between a soft Hawaiian bun. And it鈥檚 creations like this sandwich, dubbed the One Night Stand, that generate long lines, sometimes lasting hours, at Cole鈥檚 Atlanta-based restaurant聽.
鈥淭he secret is in the sauce,鈥� said Cole, a Baltimore native who had a successful career in television production before pivoting to food in 2018.
鈥淭hat is part of the reason people are standing in line, because the sauce is so damn good.鈥�
And that may be true, but there are a few other things at play that make Cole鈥檚 business so popular among vegans and omnivores, alike. First, there鈥檚 the name.
鈥淚t鈥檚 like propaganda: We put it out there and we get you to pay attention,鈥� said Cole, who explained that a “slutty vegan” is someone who indulges in the things that they love, guilt-free.
鈥淭his has nothing to do with sex. Sex is just the selling point to get you in, and once I have you in, I鈥檓 walking you in a direction where you can see food in a different way.鈥�
Like many vegans, Cole grew tired of the misconception that surrounds plant-based food 鈥� namely, that it鈥檚 bland and boring.
With a menu of sandwiches such as the Heaux Boy (vegan shrimp tossed in a New Orleans-style batter, served on a Hawaiian bun with pickles, lettuce and secret sauce) and the Fussy Hussy (a plant-based patty with vegan American cheese, shredded lettuce, onion, pickle and vegan mayo on a Hawaiian bun), she is selling familiar flavors while introducing a new diet 鈥� often to diners who never considered vegan accessible.
鈥淭o see so many people in the African American community jump on a movement like this 鈥� you know, in our communities, we love soul food, and veganism and being plant-based was a rich, white lifestyle. 鈥� So to see so many people of all hues come together in the name of food, it鈥檚 such a beautiful feeling,鈥� Cole said.
Recently, Cole embarked on a six-city Slutty Vegan tour to test out her concept in other markets. Her New York pop-up attracted some 900 customers, and her Baltimore stop drew 600 in the snow. Cole said she is looking to expand her brand (the D.C. area is a consideration), and one day hopes to be in the same league as the fast food 鈥渂ig boys鈥� 鈥� just hold the animal products.
But in the meantime, she wants her small menu of sandwiches to be the start of a larger conversation.
鈥淵ou don鈥檛 have to be this glorified vegan; you could just eat healthier,鈥� Cole said.
鈥淲e鈥檙e welcoming you into this community and showing you, ‘Listen, you can have better mental clarity; you can have better energy; you can lose some weight; you can limit the diseases in your family and in your community if you start to eat this way’ 鈥� even if it starts at vegan comfort food.鈥�
