Philip Khoury: “Vegan pastry isn’t a fad, it’s a structural change”

In our Spanish-language pastry magazine DPAS 523, we spoke with Philip Khoury—founder of Khoury’s in London—about his vision of pastry and how chocolate has a natural alliance with plant-based ingredients

The success of his books, A New Way to Bake and Beyond Baking, which have garnered several international awards, and the growing popularity of his chocolate bars have catapulted him to the forefront of the British chocolate scene.

Photos: Khoury’s Confections Ltd

When and why did you come to the conclusion that plant-based pastry was possible and interesting?

It all started with a question from a friend: “What about vegan pastry?” I immediately dismissed it; I thought it wasn’t possible without eggs or dairy. But the question stuck with me. The more I learned about the industrial production of eggs and dairy, the more I saw the need for alternatives. Also, the professional challenge was irresistible: there were no high-quality options; it was uncharted territory. When I discovered that you could make mousse without eggs, a ganache without cream, or croissants without butter, and it was delicious, there was no turning back. I even noticed that by eliminating dairy, the flavors were perceived more clearly: the chocolate tasted more like chocolate. And the fruit tasted more like fruit. That was the revelation.

Did you find it easy to carry out this type of pastry and chocolate?

No, not at all. There were no books or mentors. I had to build the knowledge from scratch through constant trial and error. I set myself a strict rule: no methylcellulose, no industrial egg substitutes, and hydrogenated fats. Only simple, traditional ingredients. That restriction forced me to understand the function of each component. Why does the egg do what it does? What else can provide structure, emulsion, or fluffiness? It was years of work, and the second book (Beyond Baking) led me to revisit what I did in the first. It’s an iterative process that I never consider finished.

What are the main technical challenges when replacing dairy in chocolate ganaches, and how do you solve them?

The fundamental challenge is the emulsion. Cream is already an emulsion (fat, water, and proteins) that integrates with the chocolate. By removing it, you have to rebuild that entire system. The amount of water varies depending on the plant-based milk and affects texture and shelf life; if you make a mistake, the ganache will curdle or crystallize. Also, the crystallization of cocoa butter changes without dairy fat. My approach is to return to the basics: understanding what each ingredient contributes and looking for natural alternatives that do the same thing without processing. It takes more testing, but the flavor and the label are cleaner.

I set myself a strict rule: no methylcellulose, no industrial egg substitutes, no hydrogenated fats. Only simple and traditional ingredients

Did you always know that this type of pastry deserved a book (or two)?

Not at first. When I started at Harrods, it was just for the job. Seeing the customers’ response, who didn’t even know it was plant-based, led me to understand that I had to share that knowledge.

A New Way to Bake lays the groundwork with accessible recipes; Beyond Baking goes further: puff pastries, buns, savory pastries. They are both technical books and recipe books, and I think that’s why they have long-lasting appeal.

Are your books only for a vegan audience?

Not at all, and that’s important to emphasize. As Nigella Lawson said, she’s not vegan, but she learns a lot from these books and they help her make recipes for vegan friends. They’re for anyone curious about baking and who wants to understand the “why” behind things, not just follow steps. The fact that they’re plant-based is almost incidental; the important thing is mastering the functionality of the ingredients and making beautiful creations.

How have your books been received? Do you think vegan baking is a growing trend?

The reception has been extraordinary, awards and praise from leading figures. A New Way to Bake has won several awards, even in Germany. Regarding vegan baking, I think the word “trend” falls short. It’s not a fad, it’s a structural change: more and more people are thinking about what they eat, where it comes from, and its impact. The market is expanding and the quality continues to improve. I think we’re still at the beginning and that a natural approach will remain relevant.

My books are for anyone curious about baking and who wants to understand the ‘why’ behind things, not just follow steps

Tell us more about Khoury’s. How did it start and how is it structured?

When I was asked to make my own version of the Dubai chocolate that went viral, I wasn’t convinced. I preferred to create something of my own, drawing on my Lebanese heritage, which is how the Beirut Bar was born. I left Harrods in 2025, and Khoury’s opened in August in East London. We sell directly to consumers, wholesale (including Harrods), for corporate gifts, and through pop-ups. Everything is handmade, with clean ingredient lists, regenerative cocoa, and no shortcuts.

How did the bar collection come about, and what kind of response are you getting?

The Beirut Bar was a commission for a charity sale for Lebanon. I hadn’t planned to repeat it, but the response was overwhelming: 600 bars in less than two hours, and word of mouth spread like wildfire, especially among the Lebanese diaspora. It was a love letter to a country in crisis, with flavors like orange blossom and baklava. From there came the idea for a series of cities that have marked my life: London, Paris… Each bar has its own story and personality.

Is the Beirut Bar the most popular? Which ones follow?

Yes, it’s our star. It’s followed by the London Bar (caramel infused with Earl Grey, vanilla crisp, and almond milk chocolate) and the Paris Bar, the most personal: a tribute to the moment when, as a young man, I tasted Pierre Hermé’s 2000 Feuilles and knew I wanted to be a pastry chef.

Cocoa is already plant-based, so chocolate with dairy is the ‘odd one out.’ With good single-origin cocoa, its character and terroir are best appreciated this way

Does chocolate make more sense if it’s plant-based? Are chocolate and nuts an easy combination?

There’s something almost philosophical about plant-based chocolate. Cocoa is already a plant-based ingredient, so chocolate with dairy is the “odd one out.” With good single-origin cocoa, its character and terroir are best appreciated. As for chocolate and nuts, that combination is ancient, universal, and almost limitless. Each nut contributes its own fat profile, its own natural sweetness, and its own textural possibilities. And if you follow the approach we use at Khoury’s, where nut chocolate is made from the nut itself—for example, a hazelnut coated in hazelnut chocolate—you get a perfectly harmonious result, in which each element enhances the flavor rather than competing with it. The variety that arises from this kind of thinking is truly enormous. We’ve barely scratched the surface.

What other products do you plan to launch? 

We’ve just launched our dragees, which are probably the purest expression of the Khoury’s concept. They are based on roasted and caramelized nuts or seeds, covered with chocolate made from the same nut. For example, hazelnut dragees with hazelnut chocolate. The ingredient list is minimal: nuts, sugar, cocoa butter, salt. No fillings or additives. This restriction forces us to execute each step perfectly (roasting, caramelizing, tempering, coating), and the result is an intense and pure flavor that customers notice instantly.

Discover these recipes by Philip Khoury in our Spanish-language pastry magazine DPAS 523