Recipe: Date night with Kynd

Follow the ladies behind vegan restaurant Kynd Community, Corryn Queenan and Lauren Camilleri as they guide us through one of their favourite Valentine's Day recipes in the comfort of bespoke island villa, Villa Massilia - while talking to us about the inspiration behind their venues. 

On the menu: Vegan Choc Mousse complimented by Amaretto Sour Cocktail.

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“Vegan Choc Mousse”

A creamy, rich and super simple recipe that will be sure to impress that special someone. You can make these look extra cute in the way you serve and present them. Seperate them into little jars or cups and garnish with some shredded chocolate. If you have any edible flowers, place a handful on top for that extra pop of colour. 

 

Serves 3

30 minutes to prep, 120 minutes to set

3/10 difficulty

 

INGREDIENTS

400 ml coconut cream

1 tablespoons vanilla essense

300 ml soy milk

1 cup of chocolate powder

3 1/2 tablespoons cornflower

1/4 cup sugar

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“Vegan Choc Mousse Method”

1. Mix the coconut cream and vanilla together and heat in a pot over low heat. 

2. Whisk the soy milk, chocolate powder, cornflower and sugar together. 

3. Pour the soy milk mixture into the coconut cream and stir continuously on low heat. Keep stirring and cooking until this thickens - around 6 minutes.

4. Pour in your serving cups and set in fridge for 5 hours or a minimum of 2 hours (if you are running low on time). 

 

To serve

Garnish with shredded dark chocolate and crushed oreos. 

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“Amaretto Sour Cocktail Method”

Ingredients

30 ml Amaretto

20 ml Vodka

30 ml Lemon Juice

15 ml Chilled Aquafaba (chickpeas)

2 dash Angostura aromatic bitters

 

Garnish

Rose petal & baby's breath flower

 

Method

1. Drain your can of chilled chickpeas and reserve the liquid.

2. Measure out 15 ml of this liquid and this is what we use for the 'Aquafaba'. We use this as a replacement instead of egg-whites which are often used in Amaretto Sours. 

3. Add all ingredients to your cocktail shaker along with a scoop of ice. Shake hard to activate the aquafaba. 

4. Pour and strain into your glass of choice. Garnish with flowers.  

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“Corryn and Lauren, please introduce yourselves and your vegan restaurant, KYND Community.”

"We are Corryn and Lauren, but most people know us as Coz and Lol. We are friends turned business partners and co-owners of the plant-based cafes; Kynd Community and Give Cafe in Bali."

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“Tell us about the inspiration behind KYND Community and GIVE Cafe and how the journey started.”

"The idea for Kynd was dreamt up whilst we were working together at another establishment in Bali. We both absolutely admired each other’s work ethic, creativity and passion for creating great food and seeing the smiles on the customer's faces when this was served to them. During this time, we often made comments about how well we worked together and said that if we ever were blessed with the opportunity to create a business of our own, that we could be an unstoppable force. It wasn’t too long after these comments were made that the dream became a reality with us signing the lease on a small 20 seat cafe in Seminyak that we decided to call Kynd.

The one non-negotaible that Lol had set before we went into business together was that whatever we created together would have to align with her morals and values and thus be Vegan. At first, Coz was a little hesitant to open a 100% plant-based cafe as at this time veganism wasn’t anywhere near as popular as it is today, but as soon as she tried Lol’s plant-based menu she knew that this food was absolutely incredible and that the world needed to know about it.

When we were blessed with the quick success of Kynd we were excited to be able to have the knowledge and the resources to do more, and more importantly Give back to those in need. This is where the inspiration for our second venue came from. With the support of Lauren’s father Tony we created GIVE, Bali’s first 100% not-for-profit cafe with the mission to Give back to charities across Indonesia. GIVE operates just like any other; it earns revenue from food and drinks sold and a portion of this is used to pay operating expenses to run the cafe. However, the profit remaining at the end of the month is then paid forward to charity. Since opening the doors of GIVE we have worked hard to raise over $50,000 for various charities within Indonesia who are doing incredible things and making a difference to the lives of so many."

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“You recently published your latest Summer Cook book, where did you draw inspiration for the recipes and do have a stand-out favourite this season? ”

"Summer is easily our favourite season and it holds a special place in both of our hearts. So much so that we moved from the beautiful beaches on the South Coast of New South Wales, Australia, to paradise in Bali, where it’s summer year-round. We’re strong believers in eating seasonal, fresh produce straight from farm-to-table, and we wanted to show everyone just how easy it is to do this year round.

Our Summer cookbook is the first of a 4 part seasonal series which draws on nostalgic summer classic dishes from our childhood but with a plant-based twist of course! Cue, fish and chips made from banana blossom, meat free kebab sticks, potato salads, egg free omelette and banana nice creams!

It is hard to pick a standout recipe from the book, but we can mutually agree that the ‘Island Burger’ with an unbelievable pattie, thick slice of caramelised pineapple, teriyaki sauce, tomato, onion and lettuce is a burger that will be a hit in any household. This recipe is also featured in our online cooking school so if you’re more of a visual learner, you can watch a step-by-step video tutorial showing you the tips and tricks of creating this delicious dish and many others at home!"

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“Advice to aspiring restaurateurs?”

"There are so many little pieces of advice that we could write here, but we’ve decided to share our top three learnings of our journey so far.

If you’re thinking of starting your own restaurant DO IT! With enough passion and purpose anything is possible. But make sure you find your ‘why’ and use this as the driving force to create your venue so that you can stay on track and use it as motivation when times get tough.

Pay attention to the little details. The way a dish looks these days is almost just as important as the way it tastes. The venue, the music, the glassware, the lighting, the bathrooms, the staff all need special attention in order to create a memorable dining experience.

Let’s face it, COVID19 hasn’t been kind to any of us in the hospitality industry. Always keep in mind that your business is going to face thousands of difficult challenges along the way. Prepare for these the best you can and get ready to dance, pivot, pirouette and do everything you can to make your way through them."

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“What do you love most about living full-time on the island of Bali, Indonesia?”

"We consider ourselves incredibly lucky to be able to call Bali home. Lauren’s mother is Balinese so she has always felt a strong connection to the island and is so thankful that she has been able to create a life for herself here. From the very first holiday Corryn took here as a teenager, she knew she had to do whatever it took to create a life here too.

The best thing about the island is the people. The Balinese are hands down the kindest, most loving people on the planet and we are so lucky to share this island with them daily. They teach us patience, gratitude, spirituality and life lessons that we know we could not learn anywhere else in the world. In addition to this, we love the vibrant food, daily freedoms and ability to form friendships with creative and inspiring humans from every corner of the globe."

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“What is your favourite quote or saying? ”

"When you have more than you need, build a longer table, not a higher fence - Maya Angelou

This quote is scribed on the walls of our cafe GIVE. It inspires and reminds us daily of why we do what we do, as we know it brings joy to so many, allows us to donate to charity, saves the lives of so many animals and helps to support a village of staff and their families."

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“What does the KYND Community spotify playlist sound like?”

"The Kynd playlist was curated with balmy Bali days and good times in mind. We want everyone who enters our doors to leave feeling better than when they first arrived and everything from the food we serve, the service we deliver, the smiles we share and the music we play to align with this mission.

Our current playlist is an eclectic mix of old school classics and modern indie tracks for the customers to hum along to and create a buzz of good energy within our venue. Pop on the playlist and pretend you’re in the Bali sunshine with a Kynd cocktail in hand - click here to listen."

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“Your motto for 2021 is..”

"Life was never meant to be linear and easy. We learn and grow most through challenges and discomfort. Stay strong and remain present. Do your internal work as this will give you the tools to deal with the external situations and difficult events that arise. We are going through a major shift and although it has been a little uncomfortable and uncertain we need to remember to always trust the process. We are on the brink of something beautiful."

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Words & Photography :

Corryn Queenan & Lauren Camilleri

Restaurant :

Kynd Community

Location :

Villa Massilia