By: Lifestyle DeskNew Delhi | October 21, 2025 04:29 PM IST 4 min readVirat Kohli and Anushka Sharma follow a vegan diet (Source: Instagram/Anushka Sharma)When it comes to love and food, Virat Kohli and Anushka Sharma seem to get both just right. Married since December 2017, the couple has often shared glimpses of their wellness-oriented lifestyle, from plant-based diets to mindful eating. But what happens when a chef decides to add a bit of creativity to their otherwise disciplined menu?Celebrity chef Harsh Dixit, who has cooked for stars like Ranbir Kapoor, Alia Bhatt, Janhvi Kapoor, Athiya Shetty, and athletes such as KL Rahul, recently shared a behind-the-scenes story from the couple’s 2019 anniversary celebration. “You have to keep things interesting,” he said in a chat with The Hollywood Reporter India. “For Virat Kohli and Anushka Sharma’s anniversary in December 2019, I made Pho, but with a twist.”Traditional Vietnamese Pho typically features a chicken or beef broth, but Chef Harsh explained that the couple was following a gluten-free diet at the time: “They were eating gluten-free at the time, so we went with rice noodles, which are traditional in Pho and gluten-free.”Then came the clever twist. Vietnamese cuisine often incorporates snake, as meat or in snake wine, so Harsh decided to reinterpret the idea for his vegan guests. “So, how about serving ‘snakes’ to vegans?” he quipped. The creative substitute? Snake gourd, stuffed with peanuts, coconut, tofu, and coriander, smoked to perfection, paired with water chestnuts, enoki mushrooms, and chillies in a lemongrass-ginger-coriander root broth, served alongside chilli oil for extra heat.“The idea was to have fun while staying within the dietary boundaries. That’s what being a private chef is about,” Harsh added. But can plant-based creativity deliver the same balance of nutrition, flavour, and satisfaction as traditional versions?Nutritionist Aditi Prabhu, founder of NutroDynamix, tells indianexpress.com, “When substituting traditional animal-based ingredients with plant-based ones, it is essential to understand that plant-based proteins are often incomplete proteins, and it’s not just about protein but also the nutrients, taste and texture that come along with it.”The key, she says, is to opt for complete plant-based proteins “such as amaranth, quinoa, or combinations like rice and dal” and to use a variety of ingredients, including fortified ingredients like nutritional yeast, to improve the micronutrient profile.Story continues below this adChef Harsh Dixit’s take on Pho is a great example of this, notes Prabhu. “He replaced the snake wine and snake meat with a desi gut-friendly snake gourd and stuffed it with tofu, a complete plant-protein. The peanut and coconut provide healthy fats for balance and satiety, while the water chestnut and enoki mushrooms provide fibre, umami, and micronutrients. The lemongrass, ginger, and coriander broth brings the dish together while supporting digestion and adding more flavour depth.” View this post on Instagram A post shared by AnushkaSharma1588 (@anushkasharma) For those following long-term vegan diets, how important is it to include variety and creativity in meals to avoid nutritional monotony or deficiencies?For those following long-term vegan diets like Virat Kohli and Anushka Sharma, Prabhu states, it is very important to include variety and creativity in meals.ALSO READ | Nutritional roadmap for veganism: How to transition to a vegan lifestyle safely“Vegan Diets can be limiting in certain nutrients, so using a variety of ingredients and dishes ensures dietary diversity, prevents deficiencies and breaks monotony,” concludes the expert. DISCLAIMER: This article is based on information from the public domain and/or the experts we spoke to. Always consult your health practitioner before starting any routine. For more lifestyle news, click here to join our WhatsApp Channel and also follow us on Instagram© IE Online Media Services Pvt Ltd