Being a vegan in the UK must have got a whole lot easier when hummus became a supermarket staple. In fact, the past few years have made following a vegan diet much easier, with high street shops now offering a whole range of dairy alternatives and restaurants creating vegan-specific menus. But the vegan revolution is a flash in the pan compared to what’s been happening in Israel – a country with more vegans per capita than anywhere else in the world.

Food writer Ori Shavit has experienced Israel’s vegan food scene first-hand. After turning vegan six years ago, she now teaches cooking classes, lectures about veganism around the world and helps chefs incorporate vegan dishes into their menus. ‘Until recently, Israel was a bit of a culinary desert for vegans,’ she says. ‘Today it is a vegan heaven – a lot has happened in the past six years. It’s now become part of the national food scene, and is certainly here to stay.’

But how did this happen? While veganism has increased in popularity across the world, why did Israel embrace it more than anywhere else? Ori says there are many factors. ‘All cultural events, religious celebrations and get-togethers are focused around food, and when you go to an Israeli home the heart of the house will always be the kitchen,’ she says. ‘It really brings people together, and because food is always at the top of our agenda, we’re happy to try new things. We’re also a young country and a nation of immigrants, so our national cuisine is changing all the time – we’re not tied down by tradition. People are happy to mix flavours from different countries together and are eager to try innovative new dishes. So the idea of changing to a vegan diet isn’t as shocking or scary as it might be elsewhere in the world.’