How a Viral Vegan Recipe Landed on Our Resort Menu

What happens when a vegan red bean burger recipe with 19.5M views and nearly half a million likes goes from Instagram fame to a five-star beachside resort menu in the Indian Ocean? For German couple Kevin and Linn, aka Veganer Wandel, this wasn’t just a recipe collaboration, it was a full-circle moment where food, culture, and creativity came together under the Mauritian sun.

During their stay at Long Beach Mauritius, they explored local ingredients, shared their best-loved recipes, and tasted their way through Sunlife’s evolving plant-based offering. We sat down to talk about their journey, and how one simple burger became a global favourite.

“It’s a journey, not a switch”

Kevin and Linn’s story began in Cologne in 2017. Both were studying to become teachers—Kevin in sports and chemistry, Linn in sports and biology—when they met at university.

“At the time, I was still eating fish and meat,” Kevin says. “She was already vegetarian.”

“I started to cook more plant-based after high school,” Linn adds. “Some of my friends had already gone vegan, and I was just experimenting. I loved to cook.”

Kevin was deeply interested in nutrition and helped Linn tweak her early recipes. “He was like, ‘Add more protein!’” she laughs.

Eventually, during the pandemic, they began documenting everything. “We filmed four videos a week,” Kevin says. “Nothing happened for months. Then one video went viral, and we went from 1,000 to 100,000 followers in days.”

That turning point became the foundation for Veganer Wandel, a name they chose intentionally.

“‘Wandel’ means a gradual change or transformation,” Linn explains. “It’s a journey, not an overnight switch.”

“For us, it’s not about forcing anyone to go vegan,” says Kevin. “If someone tells us, ‘I tried your bean burger, and now I eat plant-based once a week’—that’s amazing. That’s Wandel.”

And if that one plant-based meal happens to be a red bean burger by the beach at Long Beach? That’s pretty special!

Bringing their recipe to Long Beach

When we reached out to collaborate with them, they were intrigued. “I got an Instagram message inviting us to Mauritius, to support a more plant-based concept at Long Beach,” Linn recalls. “We’d never been to the island, and I thought, wow, that’s a cool idea.”

“We were like—what, a resort that’s not fully vegan, but wants to add more plant-based dishes? That’s rare,” says Kevin. “You’d expect that in Europe, not an island in the Indian Ocean. Long Beach is ahead of its time.”

They participated in workshops, connected with the culinary team, and sampled vegan creations across the resort, from avocado sashimi at Hasu to zucchini cannelloni and a sweet tapioca dessert (known locally as sagoo).

“The best was in Hasu,” says Linn. “We loved the vegan sushi. And that tapioca dessert, we’ve never eaten that at home.”

 

The Viral Burger That Made the Cut

Among their many recipes, one stood out immediately: the red bean burger.

“I chose it because I’ve had the most feedback for this recipe from people all over the world,” says Linn. “It always works, and everyone loves it.”

And what makes it special? “It’s the combination,” she explains. “Red beans, oats, soy sauce, mustard, smoked paprika, cumin... when they come together, you get this umami flavour that’s usually hard to find without meat.”

“The burger has a really cool combination—the oats and red beans together create a high-value plant-based protein,” Kevin explains. “If you’re doing sport every day and want to be in shape, that’s important.”

The burger will now feature on the Long Beach menu—and in Sunlife’s upcoming recipe collection.

“I just hope people try it and think, ‘That was easy, and it tastes amazing,’” says Linn. “That’s the best feedback.”

Local flavours, new inspiration

Mauritian food culture left a big impression on the couple.

“We found so many ingredients at the market we’ve never used before—like manioc, curry leaves, and different eggplants,” says Linn.

 “We also tried Dal Puri,” Linn says. “This is one of my favourites.”

“We were just smelling everything,” Kevin adds. “And the people were so kind and generous with their time.”

The couple is now planning a potential new creation: the Mauritian Burger. “We want to use yellow split peas like in Dal Puri, maybe add more curry into the patty, maybe French-style buns and a creole tomato-based chutney,” says Kevin. “A fusion of everything that makes this island so special.”

 

Why Mauritius works for plant-based eaters

For Kevin and Linn, Mauritius isn’t just a beautiful location, it’s naturally well-suited to vegan food.

“There’s already a strong foundation,” Kevin explains. “Because of the cultural influences, many of dishes are vegetarian or even vegan by chance.”

Mauritius feels ready for more plant-based choices, with fresh ingredients, a growing curiosity for plant-based dining, and the creativity of Long Beach’s culinary team, the timing feels right.

 

A special place for a special dish

Beyond the food, Kevin and Linn say it’s the feeling of Long Beach that stayed with them.

“It’s so natural, like you’re in a forest by the beach,” Kevin says. “And the people… from the staff to the taxi drivers, everyone was incredibly warm. It didn’t feel like a typical resort. It felt like something more.”

Linn agrees. “Even when they told us it was fully booked, it never felt crowded. You could always find your own quiet space by the water. It was peaceful.”

Try it at Long Beach, Cook it at Home

You’ll find the Veganer Wandel Red Bean Burger at our Tides Restaurant at Long Beach Mauritius and soon in our upcoming Sunlife Digital Recipe Book. Whether on holiday or hosting at home, this one’s a guaranteed crowd-pleaser.

As Linn puts it: “It’s easy. It’s tasty. It just works.”