Hi, I'm Shriya Swaminathan

A young woman with dark hair and a tattoo on her wrist, smiling and resting her head on her hand, sitting at a table with a candle holder and a menu, in a social setting with blurred background.

The sassy cat who started it all and the dog who keeps me humble

By the time I made the switch, I was already buying from cruelty-free brands and consciously avoiding animal-derived textiles. It just took a minute for me to come to terms with the gap between the values I held and the choices I was making at the table.

No doubt, there was a face behind the decision. My family's foster fail cat — the one who was supposed to be temporary and then wasn't, because that's how foster failing works — was a huge part of my “why.” Learning about what happens inside the dairy and egg industries, and then imagining Her Royal Highness Queen Ginger in those conditions… I couldn’t and wouldn’t unsee it. That was IT. That was the moment the gap became impossible to ignore.

If I wasn't willing to accept that for her, I wasn't willing to accept it for ANY animal. The values were already there, and it was time to sit with my discomfort from the cognitive dissonance I carried for years and actually DO something about it.

So I did, and I haven't looked back. Speaking of animals who have rearranged my entire life — I was adopted by a rescue dog named Halley, who is my absolute bestest friend. Though this is largely a one-way street, I couldn’t be more grateful to have this happy-go-lucky girl in my life.

Certified vegan hospitality consultant. Avid foodie. Lover of craft cocktails and a firm believer that a Peach Bellini is always appropriate, regardless of the time of day. And the person behind this little corner of the internet.

Pull up a chair and let me introduce myself.

The food part came first

I have been a foodie for as long as I can remember. I was raised vegetarian, which was very normal in Indian culture, so the look of alarm and confusion when my non-Indian friends would give me puzzled looks when I said I was vegetarian was always somewhat of a mystery to me.

So when I went vegan in 2015, I was never worried about the misconception of mid-level food, because it wasn’t entirely the food that set me on my path.

A woman with black hair and a black shirt is kissing a calico cat with yellow eyes and a sleek coat, who is resting on a soft, spotted cat bed.
A calico cat lying on a bed of wood chips in front of a wooden fence with vertical planks.
Close-up of a happy golden retriever puppy with a black nose, lookin toward the camera, indoors with wooden flooring.
A person and a golden retriever dog close together indoors, with the person resting their face near the dog's head.

What I didn't expect

Word on the street is that going vegan means not being able to enjoy delicious food. But, here’s my hot take about going vegan: it might make you fall even more in love with food! At least, it did for me.

Going vegan opened me up to the abundance, the diversity, the history, and the genuine joy of animal-free eating. My curiosity grew. My palate became increasingly adventurous, and I was excited to try new foods. Although I do draw the line at seaweed salad. From day 1, it’s been an absolute no, and I’m not willing to force the love.

A variety of sushi rolls on a wooden platter with a pink flower and green leaves, including rolls topped with sesame and black sesame seeds, drizzled with sauces, and garnished with greens.
Plate of traditional Ethiopian Injera bread topped with various vegetarian stews and vegetables, including lentils, split peas, and cooked greens.

Moving on, I started exploring cuisines I'd barely touched before and discovered that so much of the world's most vibrant food has always been plant-based — it just wasn't being marketed as a trending “diet.” I just fell in love with the process of discovering novel cuisines and exploring creative ways to make fusion dishes that celebrate the culinary diversity across the globe.

I became fascinated with the stories behind food. The cultures, the traditions, the way a single dish can carry centuries of history in it. That fascination eventually turned into writing, which turned into published pieces in VegNews, VegOut, VEGWORLD, and Chowhound, which eventually turned into this.

A hand holding a sliced meat sandwich with lettuce, mayonnaise, and cheese, on a toasted hoagie bun, with the rest of the sandwich visible in the background. The sandwich is on a tray with paper that says 'Missouri Burger' on it, and the tray is on a wooden surface.
A rectangular white plate with four small bowls of different dips, topped with green arugula leaves. The dips include a creamy white one with herbs, a brown one with grains, a red chopped vegetable salad, and a beige one in the foreground. There is a tall glass of dark red beverage in the background.

I have a severe case of the Travel Bug

I love to travel. My dream is to travel the world and eat extraordinary animal-free food everywhere I go. I'm also taking the first steps toward living that dream more fully. I’ve been curious to get a taste of the digital nomad life, and this platform is motivating me to step out there and make it happen.

My dream destination is Italy. Has been for years. Partly because growing up, Italian food was my FAVORITE! I’d love to spend at least a month there, explore the country, drink amazing wine, eat delicious food, learn how to make pasta, and maybe even meet a fine, vegan Italian boy…heh (a girl can dream).

Close-up of a pizza with green arugula on top, placed on a white plate. A person is holding a slice with their fingers.
Spaghetti with tomato sauce, topped with fresh basil leaves and grated cheese, served in a white bowl on a red and white checkered tablecloth.
Close-up of a white bowl with toasted baguette slices topped with chopped tomatoes, fresh herbs, and drizzled with balsamic glaze, set on a wooden table.
A jar of chocolate mousse topped with cocoa powder on a white plate with a napkin underneath, sitting on a wooden table with a spoon nearby, blurred background with green plants and a pink checkered cloth.

But for whatever weird reason, I’m saving it for the “perfect occasion,” and what that is, I really don’t know. Kind of like owning a dress that's too beautiful to wear on just any occasion — so you hang it in the closet and wait for something worthy of it. I’m just hoping that, unlike how the “perfect occasion” never quite arrives, and the dress just never gets worn, my dream Italy trip does come to fruition.

When I travel, it’s less about the default tourist stops and more about the must-try vegan eats (obviously) and experiencing the cities as the locals do. Strolling the streets, visiting cafes and local markets, checking out cocktail spots, and taking tip-based walking tours led by locals. I think it makes for a much more meaningful and memorable adventure, and you may even make a friend or two!

This is a space for:

Animal-free food — not the usual recipes, but the history, the culture, and the joy of eating without harm

Animal-friendly travel — exploring the world without compromising what I stand for

The occasional candid story or unsolicited opinion piece —in the hopes that what I have to share makes even just one person out there feel less alone

Planted with Shriya is the space I built because I needed somewhere to write what I’m passionate about on my own terms.

I've written for publications I respect. But I've also learned that writing for someone else means writing within someone else's rules — and there are stories I want to tell that don't fit neatly inside those lines. Topics that get called "too heavy." Conversations that mainstream vegan media would rather sidestep than have.

I want to have them here.

What this platform is

A person with curly hair sitting on a rock, overlooking lush green mountains and a winding road in a valley below.

If any one of these smorgasbords of topics resonates — if you're vegan or vegan-curious, if you love food and travel and honest writing, if you've ever felt like the version of yourself you most want to be is still waiting for the right moment to show up — then I think you'll feel at home here. Because I’m still figuring it all out.

Welcome to Planted with Shriya. I'm really glad you found it.