Helga Angelina is an impact entrepreneur who co-founded the plant-based restaurant chain, Burgreens, and vegan meat alternative, Green Rebel Foods. Helga’s own remarkable journey towards a plant-based lifestyle began at a young age. Driven by her own experiences and the profound benefits, she is determined to inspire people to join her in embracing a healthier and more sustainable way of life. Of course, she is well aware that choosing such journeys, especially in Indonesia, has its challenges. Now, together with her husband, Max Mandias, Helga aims to make delicious and comforting plant-based food more accessible and enjoyable to everyone.
Hi! Please tell us a bit about yourself and your day-to-day activities.
Hi, my name is Helga. I’m a mom of one baby boy and 3 fur kids (dogs), and I co-founded Burgreens (a plant-based comfort food restaurant chain) in 2013 and Green Rebel in 2020 (a food tech start-up making whole-cut plant-based meat authentic Asian flavors & dairy alternatives).
My weekdays are busy! I start my mornings at 7 am to take care of my baby & walk my dogs. Then I start working (a combination of WFH and WFO from the restaurant outlets) from 9.30 am – 8 pm. During work hours, I take short breaks to breastfeed, play, and put my baby to sleep. Then my husband and I would have dinner and some quality time with my husband before going to sleep early.
Ever since our baby was born (he is now 45 days old), my weekends are generally spent at home; we also often have friends visiting to catch up and see the baby.
How would you describe Burgreens and Green Rebel food?
Burgreens is a plant-based comfort food restaurant chain offering delicious, wholesome meals. Our tagline is “Taste Naughty yet Healthy,” which pretty much means you can enjoy any food you like steak, burgers, fried chicken, nasi padang, or satay– with a plant-based twist. Green Rebel, on the other hand, is a food tech start-up making whole-cut plant-based beef, chicken, and fish with authentic Asian flavors.
What draws you to plant-based diets?
There are two main factors that draw me into the lifestyle. First, health. I first started becoming vegetarian at the age of 15, after suffering from chronic health conditions since I was 6 months old. I got tired from taking allergy medicine and corticosteroid for many years and was never able to treat the root cause.
I then found a few books recommending a plant-based diet to activate our self-healing ability, so I gave it a try, and within 2 years, all my health issues disappeared. Since then, I felt so energized, my immune system improved (I barely got sick even with my very intense work and high-stress level), my weight stabilized, and my skin became healthier.
The second reason is the environment. When I lived in the Netherlands, I met my partner Max, who is an animal lover and environmentalist. We used to watch environmental movies for our date nights, one of which was a documentary called Cowspiracy. We also read United Nations FAO Journal called “Livestock Long Shadow,” which exposes how animal agriculture is the leading cause of climate change. We decided to adopt a fully plant-based diet (my partner Max used to be a big meat eater!) overnight.
It’s been 15 years since I became vegetarian (with some on and off in between) and 9 years into a fully plant-based diet & lifestyle. The journey has been wonderful and delicious! People think going plant-based means you limit your food options, but that is very far from the truth. In fact, I became a foodie and started enjoying different types of plant-based proteins, carbohydrates, and veggies since I became plant-based!
To you, what would make a perfect meal?
A perfect meal for me is composed of balanced nutrition, with lots of veggies, 25% carbs, and 25% protein. And, a great variety of plants! My husband and I are nutrition nerds, so we have this goal to have #40plantsaweek, in which we aim to eat 40 types of plant-based ingredients a week for optimum physical, gut, and mental health.
Is there any food you can eat every day without getting bored?
Tempeh and tofu!
What is your go-to comfort food, and where do you usually get it?
I usually have my lunch delivered from Burgreens as part of quality control, and I truly enjoy the flavors and variety of the meals. For dinner, I enjoy home-cooked meals, mostly Indonesian & Chinese food. I do have a favorite Chinese restaurant that can veganize the dishes called Min Kong in BSD. They serve the best Tahu Tausi and Tumis Fumak!
Do you have any memorable food experiences?
The most memorable meal I have was a Vegetarian Pad Thai and Cap Cay that Max (my husband) cooked 11 years ago when we were still dating.
What usually draws your attention to a place to eat?
Good food with signature flavors. I like supporting authentic (not pretentious) brands that are run by passionate people.
Where are your top three dining places? And which food do you recommend getting at those places?
First is Burgreens; my favorite is Vegan Ramen, Vegan Rendang Platter, and Vegan Bibimbab. From Ayam Penyet Ria, my favorite dish to get there is the Vish Jimbaran (vegan fish) Sambal Matah & Plant-based Empal Penyet. The third one has to be Gado Gado Cartel; I usually get the Gado-Gado but with Ketoprak sauce!
My other favorite plant-based joints would be Kinkitsuya (a vegan Japanese restaurant in PIK) and Soi Bakehouse (a cool vegan bakery in Sentul).
Where do you usually hang out with friends or go for special occasions with family?
I mostly hang out at home with my friends. When going out, we usually go to Twelve (Chinese dining), they have great vegan options & ambiance, it’s very comfortable and festive for special occasions.
Do you have any advice or recommendation for someone who wants to start eating more plant-based?
The number one challenge of going plant-based in Indonesia is handling peer pressure. You will be continually asked the same questions like, “Don’t you miss meat?” “How do you fulfill your protein intake?”. Equipping yourself with knowledge and having evidence-based answers to these questions will help your confidence to stick with your choice; even inspire others to follow suit. Documentaries like “What the Health,” “Cowspiracy,” and “Game Changers” are a great start to learn.
Another thing, always start with small but consistent changes. The easiest way is to start dedicating a few days of the week to go fully plant-based, and have flexibility on the other days. Once your meals are 80% plant-based, you’ll start feeling the results, and it will motivate you to go further in the journey.
Lastly, try to find a community where you can learn and share about going on a plant-based journey. You will meet new people who are united by this wonderful mission, and get to connect with vegan/plant-based communities all around the world.
In the past few years, we have seen a lot of unique food trends; which food trends caught your interest most?
Cell-based and plant-based seafood. Current seafood consumption is higher than what our sea can provide, and it’s causing overfishing. It is predicted our ocean will be fishless by 2050. Cell-based and plant-based seafood provides delicious fish and shrimps sustainably from animal cells or plant-derived ingredients.
Is there any new plan or project that we could look forward to?
Burgreens just launched an instant superfood noodle called WhyMee – I’m really excited about that.
For Green Rebel, we are currently focusing on regional expansion to Southeast Asia and South Korea, where we will introduce exciting Asian flavors to our product range. Keep a look out on our Instagram for updates!
