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Alan Cumming has partnered with Edinburgh-based Bross Bagels to create a signature vegan menu item based on himself.
The Scottish actor took to Instagram to announce the collaboration: “The Holesome Cumming.”
The bagel is available now and features vegan haggis, dairy-free smoked Applewood cheese, pickles, and chili mayo. It has been curated as a representation of Cumming’s vibrant persona.
“I have performed for world leaders, I have honorary doctorates, I have been on a stamp, people have even tattooed my likeness onto their bodies,” the actor said. “But all that pales into insignificance now. Being embodied in bagel form really takes the biscuit.”
Alan Cumming’s veganism
Cumming went vegetarian in 2010 and turned fully vegan in 2012 as a New Year’s resolution. He claims that ethical motivations gave him the final push.
“I think killing to make or eat things is horrific,” he told Vegetarian Times in 2011.
Since ditching all animal products from his diet, he has consistently spoken up about the importance of veganism.
Last year Cumming pleaded that only plant-based food be served at the Glasgow COP26 climate summit. Citing the serving of animal-based food as “irresponsible,” he likened the move to serving alcohol at an Alcoholics Anonymous meeting.
Explaining his comparison, he said: “If the goal of COP26 is to protect the planet—as well as promote compassionate, responsible behavior—animal-derived foods have no place on the menu.”
He is also known for asking set caterers to accommodate his needs while encouraging fellow vegan actors to create demand by not bringing their own food from home.
Using his celebrity platform, Cumming showcases his activism regularly. From protesting proposals for Scotland’s first caviar farm to being the face of a PETA anti-dairy campaign, he has long been vocal in his beliefs.
Most recently, he helped rescue a missing chimpanzee, who was also his former co-star (he was in the film before he turned vegan).
Scotland becomes more vegan-friendly
In 2019, an estimated two percent of all Scots labeled themselves as vegan. This translated to approximately 108,000 people. To cater to the increasing demand, Scottish cities have witnessed an increase in plant-based restaurants springing up.
As a result, three cities (Edinburgh, Glasgow, and Inverness) were included in the 2021 top 10 best UK locations for vegans, as curated by discount website Student Beans. Edinburgh took the overall top spot, thanks to playing home to hundreds of vegan-friendly eateries.
At Bross Bagels, the Holesome Cumming vegan bagel is available to buy in all four locations in Edinburgh.
Described by the bakery as “ALMOST as delicious as if you were biting the taut left buttock of the man himself,” it sits alongside at least two other vegan bagels that are permanent menu fixtures.
