In this episode of Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives, Guy Fieri journeys to the vibrant city of Minneapolis, Minnesota to explore a unique culinary spot that’s making waves in the plant-based food scene: The Herbivorous Butcher. Run by siblings Aubry and Kale Walch, this remarkable vegan butcher shop offers a variety of plant-based “meats” and “cheeses” that challenge traditional expectations while delivering exceptional taste and texture.

A Transformative Culinary Journey

The idea behind The Herbivorous Butcher originated from personal dietary choices Aubry and Kale made during their teen years. Kale, who made the switch for health reasons, humorously recalls his nickname, “Butterball,” indicating his former fondness for less healthy foods. Meanwhile, Aubry transitioned for ethical reasons. Together, they began crafting meat-free meats and cheese-free cheeses, initially selling their creations at local farmers’ markets before opening their own shop less than two years later.

Crafting Vegan Turkey

One of the standout items at The Herbivorous Butcher is their vegan turkey, which Guy Fieri gets a behind-the-scenes look at how it’s made. The process starts with vital wheat gluten—a protein-rich flour—as the base. Nutritional yeast flakes, onion powder, sea salt, and thyme follow. For that authentic turkey flavor, they add a house-made chicken broth powder made from nutritional yeast, thyme, sage, turmeric, and salt, mixed with water to create a flavorful liquid base.

The mixture is then combined with olive oil and soy sauce, wrapped in cheesecloth, and boiled for an hour and a half before being baked briefly to dry it out. The result is a plant-based deli meat that impresses even Guy, who notes, “It’s got texture, it’s moist, and it’s not rubbery or spongy. I’m impressed.”

The Art of Vegan Cheese

Next, Guy learns about their vegan cheese-making process, which starts with a base of coconut oil and soy milk. Lemon juice and white wine vinegar are added to help emulsify the mixture. Nutritional yeast flakes, sea salt, tapioca flour, and kappa carrageenan—a type of seaweed—are incorporated to solidify the cheese. This mixture is then heated on the stove, thickened, and cooled overnight until it solidifies into a block.

The Perfect Vegan Sandwich

To showcase their products, the team assembles a delicious sandwich featuring the vegan turkey and cheese. Starting with a base of garlic mayo and Dijon mustard, they pile on slices of the vegan turkey, fresh lettuce, tomatoes, and a generous amount of vegan cheese. Guy takes a bite and exclaims, “I’d eat it all day long. Fresh veggies, a good amount of moisturizer with the vegan mayo, and a fantastic roll.”

Exploring More Plant-Based Meats

The Herbivorous Butcher doesn’t stop at turkey. They offer a range of plant-based deli meats, including pastrami, which quickly becomes Guy’s favorite. The pastrami is made with a mix of tomato juice, liquid smoke, soy sauce, olive oil, tomato paste, garlic, and a blend of dry ingredients like vital wheat gluten, red beet powder, ground mustard, basil, oregano, smoked paprika, sea salt, onion powder, fennel, and peppercorns.

Guy marvels at the blend, saying, “I’m picking up the notes of the smoke and the pepper. There’s a good fat amount; it’s not dry. You guys are the Columbus of this, man.”

A Must-Visit Destination

Guy wraps up his visit by praising The Herbivorous Butcher for their innovative approach and outstanding flavors. He brings in his friend, Craig, to sample the offerings, and Craig is equally impressed, saying, “I came in with my own level of skepticism, but I would not be steering you wrong telling you to come in here and try this. It’s fantastic.”