Luxury Vegan Hotels | Expert Insider on Transforming Travel | Camilla Parmigiani

Link for the show notes

Today I’m joined by Verde Camilla Parmigiani — founder of Vegan Set Hospitality Boutique and a true specialist in luxury vegan hospitality.

Camilla has nearly 20 years of experience in the hotel industry, working her way up from front desk to Deputy Director in four- and five-star properties. After becoming vegan, she began to notice how poorly understood vegan guests were in luxury spaces — and that realization led her to create Vegan Set in 2016.

Today, she consults with hotels around the world to help them design elevated, fully integrated plant-based guest experiences — from food and beverage to staff training and service culture.

She has also just released her brand-new book, a professional guide to vegan guest experience in the luxury hospitality sector, and we’ll be talking about that and so much more.

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Join us for a beautiful journey through charming villages, local markets, château landscapes, and incredible plant-based cuisine — all shared with a small group of like-minded travelers.

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Transcript

Ep 222 Camilla Vegan Hospitality 

[00:00:00]  

Hello, Camilla and welcome back to The World Vegan Travel Podcast.  

Hi Brighde, how are you? 

I'm so good. Thank you. 

For those of you that don't know, Camilla is a huge friend of World Vegan Travel, and I'm so excited to have her on, to talk about her new book and the incredible work that she's doing to really elevate the vegan travel experiences for all of us vegans. So, Camilla, we are going to get into the nitty gritty on all of the work that you've done, and all of your experiences, which have brought you to this point, but can you just give us a little bit of an elevator pitch of what it is that you are doing? 

Yes. Thank you very much. First of all, Brighde, I'm so excited to be here on your podcast again. I really love it, and I love the work you are doing withWorld Vegan Travel. So thank you so much. I [00:01:00] consult for luxury hotels. I support hotels in implementing and improving or even realize from scratch in some cases, their vegan experiences, to delight their vegan guests, and also, all the nuances because a pure ethical vegan guest might be also flexitarian, vegetarian, all the nuances behind these traveler kind of person. In some cases, I've also consulted increating the concept for totally, brand new vegan hotels. And so I'm really trying to support the hospitality industry with my skills and experience. I've been working in hotels for almost 20 years, and also as a vegan, really demanding traveler. So I combined these two skills together. 

Well, let's talk a little bit about your journey in hospitality and how veganism became central to your work. Tell us about that? 

Yes, I made,[00:02:00] let's say, a kind of career because I started as a front desk receptionist, then assistant marketing manager, then assistant to general manager, deputy manager for four and five stars hotels. I've been vegetarian since I was 17. And let's say, I'm a vegan more than 10 years now. During my last experience as assistant general manager in this beautiful boutique hotels, I was actually realizing how vegan travelers weren't truly having the experience they deserve in hotels. Maybe, they couldn't find a nice meal, but breakfast wasn't good enough. 

They couldn't find the proper welcoming in the room that was aligned and compliant to their lifestyle, and especially the staff members were often not even aware. So I really wanted to help hotels, help hotel managers, help the staff, the entire staff of hotels, to, really feel [00:03:00] more confident and feel natural when it comes to vegan travel. 

We are not aliens. We are just normal people who made choices for their life. We just want to have this decisions to be respected and to find precisely the same level. It's offered to a traditional guest, nothing more than that. 

I'm guessing, that when you became vegan, you started noticing these things. Of course, that's when things get on our radar. But were you getting complaints or frustrations shared to you by vegan guests? And what kinds of things were they getting frustrated about? 

Yeah, definitely there were complaints, and also, myself, as a traveler, I was really disappointed all the time. 

I used to travel a lot at the time because I was a seasonal worker. So during winter time here in Italy, I used to travel a lot worldwide, and the offering was really [00:04:00] depressing. Definitely, there was nota good value for vegan travelers. That's when I started Vegan Set, but at the very beginning was like a blog. 

So I used to review hotels and restaurants worldwide, that had vegan options. I started to write these articles, and hotel managers, the business people, were following me and they started to ask questions like, 'Can you suggest a vegan cookbook from a chef? Can you help me on this?' And that's why I decided to take action and really focus my career into consulting for hotels. It was natural, let's say. It was very natural. 

It's the perfect fit, for sure. Yes. I remember when Seb and I, before World Vegan Travel, we started staying in some very nice hotels. Mostly because Seb was collecting points. And I remember, we used to go to these beautiful places and the breakfast offerings, we all know, but the breakfast [00:05:00] offerings were just so disappointing. 

How is it, I hadn't spent like $500 a night, I'll be honest, because we'd been using points, but it doesn't matter. The variety was, you know, 5% of what a non-vegan would eat, and it just was so frustrating. I'd leave the hotel just feeling, 'Oh man. I'm just so disappointed. I just didn't get value from this.' And I think, that's all we really want, is to have value. I don't necessarily feel like we could or should expect the most amazing thing of all time, all the time, but I think, good value feels like a good base expectation. 

No, you are totally right. We pay the same amount of money. I agree.  

Agree. Yes. Yes. Okay. Vegan Set began as a blog and evolved into a consultancy. When you began reviewing hotels around the world, how did that shape your philosophy? 

For me, it was very [00:06:00] interesting to see how different the reaction was, and how different the level of service provided was. And I had the chance to try some amazing experiences, and to see when there was a genuine involvement in this, how great the things were, even from non-vegan chefs, or not necessarily from people involved in a personal way in the topic, but because they were super professional and they wanted to go beyond expectations. And so this made me understand how 

things can be made truly well, when there was the right approach, the right attitude behind it. And so that made me, really,the fact that I had the chance to seeall the offerings worldwide, from South America, United States, Asia. And so, this gave me really a wide picture. From there, I started studying very much. And also, part of the reason I wrote this [00:07:00] book, is the fact that it doesn't exist like standard. When we talk about vegan hospitality, there are certifications that, really, can tell you if a product, it's vegan or not. But when it comes to services, especially hotels and restaurants, there's not a proper standard. So I wanted to give to professionals something that is very clear and set the standard. 

Fabulous. Fabulous. When you talk about vegan hospitality, what does that mean beyond food for you? 

It definitely means,the whole experience, because when it comes to our hotel, you can see it like an ecosystem. You don't just go to the breakfast room, you don't just stay in your room. There are many touch points at the hotel. Whenthe touch points are really covered in the best way, then we can say we have a proper vegan experience at the hotel for the guest. 

So it means that the food, of course, is covered [00:08:00] in every outlet. Not just the main restaurant. It needs to be covered for the snack at the bars. It needs to be covered, as we said, for breakfast, and every outlet, and also the beverage program should be aligned to the vegan philosophy. 

There must be vegan wines labeled. Also, a cocktail list that is crafted on the vegan philosophy, and also the details in the room. I want to see cruelty-free amenities. If you put the chocolate on my pillow, I want to be sure that's vegan. 

And I need to read that somewhere. And also, what's very important, is that the service itself is aligned. So the staff needs to be really understanding. And sometimes it's a matter of a glance. You say, 'I'm a vegan,' and the staff member recognize it and you can tell from the attitude if he knows what we talking about or not? So for me, the staff training, is absolutely important. But at the same time, [00:09:00] I like to be in a place where the staff members make me feel safe, and understand it. 

I love it. And what are a few details that instantly tell you or any other vegan guest, this non-vegan hotel really gets it because there are a few vegan hotels, and of course, they get it. But what are some things that non-vegan hotels do or say that make you think, 'Well, okay, I can just relax. They know what they're doing. I don't have to be skeptical about everything that's brought out to me.' 

Yeah. No, I think, when you talk to the staff there, you can tell if they're understanding you. They are on the same page, and you feel you are in the right place. Another element is the variety of the offering. When there are just one kind of plant-based beverage as alternative to milk, I can tell there's not that much intention in that case. [00:10:00] And also, when in the room, there's no consideration, the pillows or maybe, on a certain level, you find always a welcome amenity. That might be a biscuit, a piece of cake, and if that amenity is not labeled as vegan, and you maybe, even tell it's not vegan, then you can say, 'Okay, I didn't get it, and I need to double check every move I'm making here because probably, they don't get it.' 

Absolutely. I've been to a hotel so many times. I've got into the room at the evening, and there's been a chocolate there, and it looks like it's dark chocolate, but I don't know. Even if I call someone, I'm not going to call someone over a small chocolate, honestly. But even if I was really hungry, I don't even think the person that I tried to speak to, could know the answer to that question. And then this chocolate gets wasted, and it's just frustrating. 

It's very [00:11:00] frustrating.  

What do you think the biggest misconceptions hospitality professionals still have about vegans? What do they wrongly think about us? 

So we still, unfortunately, a lot of prejudice have to say, and they think we are all fanatics. They think we are all maybe crazy, and because that's what they read on newspaper, on the headlines. And that's really sad, because on the contrary, when I make my training, they had the chance to really understand why people decide to take this kind of lifestyle and they understand it. I was training this hotel for two years in a row, and the first year, the chef didn't show up because he thought it was stupid to talk about vegan, and he was very against it. And the second year he had to attend, and at the end of the training, he didn't stop thanking me because he was so happy. He was so excited. He [00:12:00] wanted to go in the kitchen and experiment things, and really, understood how it's a life choice, and embracing kindness. It's notany kind of judgment towards others, or it's the total opposite. It's about peace, about loving animals and respecting them, and wanting things to be cruelty-free. How can this be so terrible? I think it's a matter of knowledgement. Also something I do when I do my training is, I always start asking, 'Tell me one word you think about when I tell you the term vegan.' At the end of the training, I make the same questions, and it's wild how the response change. It's crazy.  

Really? 

This is part of the hotel system, things that each department need to do. It follows a program. That's why it's very important to have everything sort out. So when you have a guest, it's all sort out. You don't have to [00:13:00] go wild and invent things last minute, and you can really be professional and make your work naturally, with no stress. 

You just got to change the systems up a little bit, I suppose.  

Yes. Yes. Thankfully, the numbers are changing, andit's a movement that cannot be ignored anymore, despite what the headlines are saying, especially lately. The Emirates airline is coming out, again, with a new amazing menu. Every year, they make a huge investment of it, and they say that they serve half a million vegan meals each year. 

Wow. Yeah, that's a lot.  

That's a lot. And I love these numbers because hotels don't take track of it. Airlines do. 

Yeah, I imagine, I'm thinking about when I go to places around the world where there are not a lot of vegan restaurants [00:14:00] nearby. Maybe it's not a very vegan friendly destination or maybe it's in the countryside. I literally have no choice but to eat at the hotel, and I'm frustrated and upset because the options are simply terrible. Imagine that, just that small tweak is going to make me happy to eat there, every three meals a day, for example. If it's a part of a chain, like Marriot, for example, maybe I would even eat in the hotel because I don't want to walk the 25, 30 minutes. Right now, I'm forced to go outside because there's nothing in the hotel. 

That's really sad. 

So Italy plays a big role in your inspiration. For those of you that don't know, Camilla helps us a huge amount on our Italy trips. She has been instrumental in the success of all of our Italy trips. Obviously, your Italian. Why do you think Italian regional cuisine is such a strong [00:15:00] foundation for gourmet vegan food? 

Well, because the Italian regional cuisine has many recipes that are naturally plant-based. We have this regional cuisine that is so different, North from South from center, but many recipes are naturally plant-based and vegan because of how our ancestorsused to really cook. Especially in the countryside without the use of animal ingredients. And so we can really take from there, a lot of inspiration. 

I agree. 

  

Whats very important, is that each hotel really root his vegan menu into the territory, into the history of the place. Of course, we always talk about seasonal food, about local food, and it's the same for plant-based food. It doesn't make any sense to recreate the same food worldwide. Otherwise, for us it's a disaster. 

We keep eating the same things, everywhere. So I think it's the best result is achieved [00:16:00] when every place is able to really recreate the best out of the culture. 

Absolutely. I'd love to know more about the specific hotels or consulting projects that you have done, that you have worked on in the past, well, many years, and how they've influenced how you approach hospitality today or your vegan hospitality training? 

I had the chance to really work with some spectacular hotels, and I'm really proud of it. So for me, it has been a milestone to work with hotels such as the Il San Pietro di Positano, the Amalfi Coast, and Splendido di Portofino of the Belmond Group. And so for me, it was, really, a great honor. And recently, you had on your podcast, Valentina, owner and manager of Il Mansio which is a vegan boutique hotel that recently opened on the shores of Lake Garda. And I was part of the project. [00:17:00] It was a four year project. It was like,an empty building, and now it's a spectacular vegan boutique hotel. 

And so for me, that was truly inspiring, especially because we started with a very precise idea of the kind of hospitality we wanted to provide, and we are having some success already, that I'm so happy. Because weekends, we are sold out. We already have a waiting list. So soon. We started 1st of October, last year. And so, it means there is really, you know, is a need for this kind of offering, and also, that when you do the things well, it works. 

And I am just also realizing how much of an accomplishment that is in the middle of winter. 

Exactly. At the end of the day, we are happy we didn't open during the ice [00:18:00] season because probably, it would've been very difficult.  

It is funny, I was actually on Il Mansio's Instagram account yesterday, and I was looking at a little reel that they had posted. It was a collaboration between them and another content creator. I'm sure you've seen it, and it was just like showing the  

breakfast. And I said to Seb, ' We have to make coming here a priority.' 

And he actually, did say, 'Maybe we could squeeze it in, between our Italy trips. So I'm keeping everything crossed.  

Oh, that would be amazing. Yes. We really work on breakfast and you need to try with zabaglione. It's a cream. Let's say, like a pastry cream sweetener. And normally, it's made with a lot of eggs and butter and everything. This is of course, a vegan version with a bit of this sweet wine from the Verona part of a lake. And it's really phenomenal, super creamy, like a mousse. 

Is this the cream [00:19:00] that's inside the croissants? 

Precisely, Brighde. 

I did see that croissant, and I did think, 'Oh my goodness, that is very decadent for breakfast.' I'm here for it. Let's talk about your book. You decided to write a book. Who is the audience for this book? 

Can I first show the cover? 

Of course, those watching on YouTube. It's so beautiful. I love the key on the front. And what's the tagline for it? Maybe that will answer my question.  

It's a professional guide to the vegan and the guest experience for the luxury hospitality industry. 

So this is clearly a book for the sector and for professionals. It's for everyone at a hotel or a restaurant that really want to excel in creating a vegan experience. But at the same time, I think it might be interesting forvegan travelers as well, because when we [00:20:00] travel as vegans, we may not even know what we might ask for. So it could be a really nice, interesting line of information for everyone. In the book, I refer to the luxury hospitality. I think that sometimes, things are very aspirational and that sometimes, luxury hotels, with the fact that can really have more investment to make in something, can really set the standards for things, and really push the level of the things, and this can be inspiration for everyone, I think. 

Absolutely. I really like the idea of this book, in that, if we feel so, we can recommend the book to hotels that we think would benefit from it, if we really want to, or we can buy a copy. We can ask a hotel that we go to a lot of the time, 'There's this book, I think it could really help you, and it's not expensive.' And you could really change things up [00:21:00] by reading and implementing some or all of the strategies in this book. I absolutely love it. 

love  

I wanted to say that, one of the chapter of the book was actually inspired by you. By World Vegan Travel. And what do you normally look for. When you sign a hotel for your trips, you are very demanding, as it should be. So you want the things to be done right. And so, you have certain standards. In a chapter, I also speak about World Vegan Travel,what you require to sign a hotel for a trip, and give a list of things. 

  

We are honored to be mentioned in your book. That's so kind. I can't wait to see it in print for myself. That's going to be so fun. And yes,it is. There's a lot of vetting that needs to happen before we choose a hotel, and if a hotel isn't really good with vegan hospitality yet, it feels a little risky and a little scary about trusting them at their [00:22:00] word. That's not to say that I think they're deliberately trying to mislead us to get our business. I don't think that, but maybe they don't really fully understand the level of commitment that they will need in order to be successful. 

Very often, it usually works out fine, but there is always that sort of sense of uneasiness that we have when working with a new hotel. It would just make my job a lot easier, if hotels just really got it, especially at the prices we are paying, and of course, that our guests are paying. 

We should be able to feel as relaxed, and not on our guard. Ultimately, it's our business and our reputation that's on the line if they screw up a few times, in a way, that looks careless or sloppy, and not just like a little oversight. It's a lot.  

Yeah. Yeah. And in fact, when you say that one of the main thing you look for, is the right [00:23:00] attitude, the curiosity to understand this phenomenon, and this lifestyle. Because the details, you can fix them, but if you don't have a curiosity and right attitude, there's not that much you can do.  

Absolutely. Yeah. You said you don't like the word options, I'm guessing you mean like vegan options anymore. Why does language matter so much in hospitality to you?  

I'm surprised that 

you say  

that. 

I think option is an outdated term. And I think that now, the vegan and plant-based cuisine is a legitimate and fully realized culinary category. I don't think we need to call them options anymore. And I think that the language you use, the terms you use, the description you make of things and services,it's everything. 

Because you can have the best. You can have made an investment. You can have the best services. You can offer the best, you know, the best of the best. But if you are not able to tell the story in the right way, it's like it's worth [00:24:00] less. The conversation that you have online with the people looking for hotel, and with the guest you have at your hotel, in that moment. 

Right. 

What does it mean? What kind of pasta, what kind of vegetable, what kind of seasoning, what kind of cooking. You need to be very descriptive because it means you really thought about that dish, and there is work behind it and research. Maybe, you use excellent ingredients, but if you don't explain them, and you don't tell the story of these ingredients, it's like you didn't use it at all. 

Yeah. If I see vegetable pasta on the menu, I'm just like, 'Ugh.' But it could be really good. 

Maybe, it's wonderful. But if you write something like this, maybe you didn't work on the dish that much. 

Yes. An afterthought, for sure. You've trained both students and seasoned professionals. What gives you hope for the future of vegan hospitality? 

When it comes to students, when I make the training atprofessional hospitality schools, [00:25:00] I can see curiosity. Young generations are curious. They can challenge you, also, as it's something that young people do and I like to enter in this conversation, and having an exchange. It means, at least, you are listening and you are interested in the topic. So, I definitely think that there is hope, and to show the beautiful part of being vegan or a vegan lifestyle. And also, I have to say, the fact that I often show this example from the luxury hospitality sector,can really, show a beautiful part. I think we need beauty in life. We like to be surrounded by beautiful places, beautiful nature. 

I think, this can really show a nice part, and create curiosity around it. And once you are curious, you can go more depth, and study, and learn and improve. 

I love the idea of [00:26:00] going and giving talks or working with hospitality students, to get them when they're still having their beliefs and opinions formed. It reminds me of recently, I was in Botswana, and we were doing the whole food, plant-based, 'SOS' free, Cape Town and Botswana trips, and it was quite difficult. But there was one chef who was doing his internship there, and the executive chef, she came and said to me, 'Can you just sit down and have a chat with...' I can't remember his name, but he was this lovely young man, and he's just really fascinated by all of this, like vegan stuff.  

And I sat down, and I had a chat with him for maybe, half an hour, and had the opportunity to explain why we choose to eat this way and the benefits of eating this way. And he was just so receptive. Admittedly, he had asked for that information, but it was still [00:27:00] really refreshing to see a chef that was so excited and curious.  

Yeah, no, it's really nice. And in particular, when I go to school, at the end of the training, I make them an exercise. They were so creative, and I really loved it. They have so much to give. 

Really, can you share with me some examples they came up with? And that's a And that's a really a prompt by the way.  

For instance, Lewis Hamilton has this brand of non-alcoholic vodka, they prepare for him a cocktail, a welcome cocktail made with his brand. And also, they arrange to prepare a welcome cocktail for the dog itself. 

Oh, cute.  

So that was super nice, and also the fact to prepare all the the dog amenities, of course, cruelty-free with no leather, no feather, but also with the Ferrari logo. So it's around 20 students. So imagine three [00:28:00] days of that. I have pages of wonderful ideas. It was lovely. 

Oh. Wow. That is really cool, and does give us hope, for sure.For vegan travelers that are listening, what should they really look for when choosing a hotel that understands vegan guests, do you think?  

Online communications says a lot, because if you don't, you cannot find it on a website or the social media of a hotel, any reference to a vegan menu or a vegan breakfast, it's very hard. If you still want to go there, and you send an email to them or you make a phone call, and I think the tone of a reply will definitely say to you if they're capable of providing something that it's worth or not. On this vegan group, this traveler posted the response of hotel because he was asking for a vegan meal while he was there, and the hotel responded, 'Well when you're traveling, why don't you make an [00:29:00] exception and eat like everybody else.' 

They don't get it. That hotel doesn't get it.  

I would skip that place.You can tell from the response, this was of course an extreme, but you can tell from a response if they know what you're doing or not. So... 

Seb and I will often look at the Google reviews. I just mentioned Google reviews because they're very searchable, and I just put the word vegan in there, and that will often tell me quite quickly if, you know, what the experiences have been, positive and negative, and that sometimes helps me make a decision. Yeah. Yeah. So vegans listening out there, feel free to give fair feedback to the hotel. If your experience has been really bad, send them an email because I think, that might be why a lot of hotels might think we are fanatics. Definitely, send them an email, and certainly, put stuff on social media with [00:30:00] photos, as well, and videos, if you've had a really positive experience. 

Yeah, exactly. At the very beginning of Vegan Set as a blog, I was suggested by many people to write bad reviews about places that weren't good at vegan options. And I always refuse to do that because I still think there is people working there. Maybe it's not all the people's fault. So, I always like to be more supportive. And of course, if it's really bad, I can send an email or tell them in person, which is even better in some cases. But still, I would avoid to write very bad things online. It doesn't look good, I think. 

Yeah. Yeah, for sure. So how do you see your work and this book supporting the broader vegan travel movement? 

I think it's really setting the standards of what vegan travel should expect from the hospitality world. I think, [00:31:00] it can give a wide picture of how strong the movement is, and how many topics are related to it. Because in the book, I talk about the vegan philosophy and culture. 

About the vegan in general, what it means, what can be included, what excluded. I talk about food, beverage. I talk about lifestyle, and also I talk about management, which is more for professionals. But it's interesting to see how it's all a process and also for travelers, this can help them see that it's not easy. It's not immediate, to create a proper vegan experience, but there is a lot of work behind it. And so this can really help to really appreciate more who is doing the things in the right way. 

I love it. And a question that I did want to touch on, was how you dedicate part of the book to risotto, the Italian dish. I think I [00:32:00] know why this was an important example. Why did you do that? Why did you spend so much time  

talking about this  

one  

dish?  

Yeah, I know it sounds weird, because it's very difficult to finda good risotto because the Italian risotto, it's super creamy, and normally, it's made with a lot of butter, a lot of Parmesan cheese, and might be difficult to recreate that creaminess. I give many ways to make the risotto creamy. And the reason for that, it's that my dad is the greatest risotto maker in the world. So this chapter is also for him, it's dedicated to him. I got inspired to get into the hospitality and food industry because of him. When I was a kid, I went with him in this beautiful restaurant, hotels, and he made me see his world. And I wasinspired by it. And so, this is, kind of, giving back to him. 

Well, I think it's so fitting that you talk about that. I think we've [00:33:00] all had pretty bad  

risottos when we've ordered it. I never order it on the menu unless there's nothing else, because it's usually not that great. So if listeners wanted to get a hold of this book to read, to learn about luxury vegan hospitality, to gift it to a hotel or someone in the hospitality industry, what formats is it available in, and where can they get it? 

I've decided to make just a hard copy book. I know, I'm in the era of digital. I'm super old fashioned, but I think the charm of a printed book with our cover is very difficult to surpass, in a way. And I love the idea of hotel managers or professionals or even travelers to have this book in their library or on their desk or while they travel. 

Why not? And so, I really wanted to create something that can stay for a long time. And so [00:34:00] that's why I decided to make just our cover version for now. 

Fabulous. And where can people follow your work or connect with Vegan Set online?  

They can find me on my website, which is www.veganset.com. 

And also on all Vegan Set channels such as Instagram in particular. Also, Facebook but I would say more Instagram, is where you find the most updated content about what I do. 

And your book will be available on  

Amazon. Throughout the  

world, just in North America and Europe?  

Everywhere, worldwide. Europe, Australia, North America, South America, Asia. You can buy it everywhere. 

Incredible. So obviously, you are Italian, but the book  

is  

in English,  

right?  

Exactly. I've decided to make it just in English for now. 

Maybe, I will make an Italian version later, but I wanted more people to get access to it. So I prefer more people [00:35:00] buy the book. 

Absolutely. Camilla, I want to thank you so much for joining us on the podcast. I am so thrilled that I get to see you in just a few short months during our three Italy trips, so that's super exciting. Good luck with the book launch, and we'll see you soon.  

Thank you so much for having me on this space, Brighde. Thank you so much. It was a pleasure.