Garry Hollihead: Soya and tofu just don't cut it in my kitchen

Vegetarians miss out on the most exciting textures, flavours and aromas a chef can produce. The variety that fish and meat provides is something no one should be deprived of. If a vegetarian comes into my restaurant, I know I can produce something very exciting for them. Nevertheless, you can be much more creative with fishes and meats. There are subtleties and possibilities in non-vegetarian food which cannot be duplicated using tofu or soya, for example.

Meat and fish respond to a chef's passions in a way vegetables don't, and can't. When you caramelise a good piece of fish or meat and see juices oozing out of it, it gives you satisfaction that no vegetarian cooking can match.

One of the best things about living in Britain is the global cuisine on offer in our restaurants. Foods from all over the world compete for our attention. Food-lovers have never been prouder of being British than today.

But if you are interested in trying foods from around the world, you won't get too far on a paltry vegetarian diet. I think Indian food is probably the only major global cuisine where vegetarians are as well served as non-vegetarians and even then you're missing out on some fantastic dishes.

I accept that there are levels of vegetarianism. Some vegetarians eat fish and good on them too. But vegans won't touch dairy produce. As a chef, that forces you to innovate and every good chef likes a challenge. But if you take even dairy products out of the equation, that really does make it difficult to give food any depth. I try, for example, to cook a wild mushroom risotto for vegetarian customers but, when I'm told they're vegan, I sometimes wonder if they'd rather just have a plate of boiled rice.

Garry Hollihead is the executive head chef of Geales restaurant in Notting Hill, west London