CODE Meets TiNDLE

CODE caught up with Alex Ward, chief operating officer at TiNDLE, the latest plant-based chicken alternative to arrive in the UK. The product is made for chefs – TiNDLE describes its product as ‘malleable’, and a vegan protein that can be marinated to infuse subtle flavours, sauces, or spices. It is now being served by the likes of Sketch, Paternoster Chop House, and BrewDog bars. You might have seen TiNDLE handing out free burgers on Old Compton Street recently – the CODE team popped by to try a couple. 

What is TiNDLE?

TiNDLE is a juicy, plant-based chicken that offers mouth-watering taste, texture, and versatility – and uses a fraction of the land, water and energy needed to produce meat from birds. It’s made with just nine simple ingredients, including soy, oat fibre and coconut oil. We’re the first product by Next Gen Foods, a Singapore-founded food tech company that is developing and commercialising innovative and sustainable foods.

So far, we’ve had rapid success across several culinary epicentres – including cities across the United States, Singapore, Hong Kong, Amsterdam, and Dubai – now available in 500 restaurants, over 40 cities and 4 continents.

How long has the UK launch of TiNDLE been in the works?

With the UK being one of the largest consumer markets for plant-based foods and meats, we knew that consumers would be ready for TiNDLE and currently there is no other product on the market that provides the same type of chicken experience that we provide. 

What makes TiNDLE different to other meat-free alternatives?

TiNDLE is high in protein and fibre and contains no antibiotics, hormones, cholesterol, or genetically modified ingredients. It was developed with chefs, for chefs, to give complete freedom to cook whatever kind of chicken style they imagined. 

TiNDLE features the crave-worthy umami flavour of dark meat with the texture of chicken thigh. Uniquely, TiNDLE is malleable and can be marinated to infuse different flavours, sauces, or spices directly into the protein. Other plant-based meats on the market are sold in pre-formed shapes thus pre-determining and perhaps limiting the type of cuisine a chef can prepare for their customers. 

TiNDLE can be enjoyed around the world due to it being versatile, easy-to-work-with, and can take centre stage in any dish, from satay to schnitzel, as well as favourites like fried chicken or chicken cordon bleu.

What are your favourite recipes using TiNDLE?

Each chef creates different recipes with TiNDLE whether they want to create a burger, curry, taco, bao bun, waffle or anything they can make work. So this is a tough question, however I do adore the Carolina crispy TiNDLE burger at BrewDog with heritage tomato, red onion, and mustard BBQ sauce, a close tie with the Paternoster Chop House’s TiNDLE Wellington with smoked tomato sauce and pickled mushroom salad with merlot reduction – absolutely delicious!

Another recipe I love is the mouth-watering TiNDLE Makhani Curry with Basmati Rice served at Neyba on Westbourne Grove that adds a new depth of flavour to Chef Tony Singh’s all-time favourite.

Which London restaurants can we find TiNDLE?

Right now, you can find TiNDLE on menus at BrewDog (nationwide), City Spice, Get Plucked, Let’s Do Maki, Neyba, Other Side Fried, Paternoster Chop House, Refuel Your Soul, sketch London, and Unity Diner. 

What are the misconceptions about meat-free alternatives?

Having gathered feedback from our tastings in London, we asked guests to share their ideas about plant-based meats before trying TiNDLE. Many shared that they found plant-based options to be overly chewy with cardboard texture, or just not particularly flavoursome. We then asked them again after trying TiNDLE and their previous opinions had changed.

As TiNDLE has the texture of chicken and we have an extensive knowledge of flavours and food technology, we hope to change more minds about plant-based meats when it comes to TiNDLE. 

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