With few exceptions, vegetarian, let alone vegan, cuisine has rarely been the métier of Michelin-starred chefs. True food artistry as defined by the greats such as Auguste Escoffier, Ferran Adrià, Julia Child and Alain Ducasse has always been about delicacies, expensive ingredients and largess, namely, meat. But in our climate-changing world, fine dining is waking up to the artistry of plant-based food.
This year, the beknighted gourmet judges at Michelin awarded 57 vegetarian and 24 vegan restaurants around the world with their highly coveted stars. And that number is growing. From vegan superstars Joia in Milan and King’s Joy in Beijing to vegetarian Cookies Cream in Berlin, Eleven Madison Park in New York and Le Comptoir in Los Angeles, the choices for those moving away from meat and fish are many and varied.
