Chef David Tamarkin has come under fire for promoting a parmesan-crusted chunk of pan-roasted sourdough as ‘bread steak’.

A chef has been slammed for suggesting people try a ‘bread steak’ as an alternative to meat.

It comes after the market has been flooded with a slew of meat-free options made from jackfruit to tempeh, tofu to mushroom to cauliflower and more.

The recipe is coined by Chef David Tamarkin, who stopped eating steak for environmental reasons. He called his ‘bread steak’ a savory French toast and a vegetarian steak swap.

The recipe went viral after food website Basically shared a photo on its Instagram. The caption said:  “When @davidtamarkin stopped eating steak, he still craved a slab of something lavish at the center of his plate—and a cauliflower “steak” just wasn’t going to cut it.

“Enter: The Bread Steak. It’s a parmesan-crusted chunk of pan-roasted sourdough that’s decadent, fatty, salty, and (if you do it right) downright meaty.”

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A post shared by Basically (@basically)

Social media debate

The post prompted an online debate with many critics mocking the meal as little more than a slice of cheese on toast.

One user wrote: “This is literally toast can yall please get a grip I am begging you.”

Another commented: I’m sure it tastes fucking awesome but this ain’t steak. Don’t even try to advertise it as a substitute.

A third added: “A bread steak. A lettuce steak. A cauliflower steak. None of them are steak.”

However, many praised the innovative recipe and asked ‘angry meat-eating commenters’ to chill. 

“This is steak erasure and I’m ok with that,” one user posted.

Another added: “Toast is life though. I’d take that over a steak any day of the week. Probably go for something tomatoey on it rather than peas.”

You can find the entire recipe here.

• Read: Crackdown on vegan café for painting interiors with pro-vegan infographics

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Mohsina Dodhiya

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