43 Haute veganism

Haute veganism

Vegan dining evolves from earthy-crunchy to exclusive.

A swath of Michelin-starred restaurants and top chefs are going vegan, giving vegetables the rarefied and gourmet status once bestowed on meat.

Previously renowned for its duck, lobster and foie gras dishes, the threeMichelin-starred Eleven Madison Park reopened in June 2021 after lockdown with a fully plant-based menu. “The future for me is plant-based,” said head chef and owner Daniel Humm.

Geranium, a three-star-Michelin restaurant in Denmark, announced in November 2021 that it would remove meat from its menu. Voted the secondbest restaurant in the world in October, the restaurant is refocusing on plantbased and pescatarian dishes. “I feel like we need a clean slate,” head chef and

co-owner Rasmus Kofoed told Berlingske. “We are waving goodbye to our signature dishes and I think that is a big step.”

In June, Michelin-starred Gauthier Soho in London reopened with an all-vegan menu. ONA, which stands for origine non-animale (animal-free origin), became the first all-vegan restaurant in France to earn a Michelin star in January 2021. And the three-Michelin-starred team behind SingleThread in California announced plans in May 2021 to open a casual meatless restaurant.

Why it’s interesting Acclaimed chefs and restaurateurs are elevating vegan cuisine to a highbrow fine-dining experience.