For the first time in a three-star restaurant in France, Alain Passard is now serving exclusively plant-based cuisine, a sign of a still discreet but real turning point in haute gastronomy. – Photo by BERTRAND GUAY/ AFP
French chef Alain Passard, known for his mastery of roasting techniques, has decided to drop almost all animal products from the menu at his three-Michelin-star restaurant, Arpege.
The decision follows his earlier move to eliminate red meat from Arpege's dishes in the early 2000s. Passard's updated menu excludes meat, fish, and dairy, although honey sourced from the restaurant’s own beehives will remain an exception.
Passard said he was motivated by his passion for nature, adding that using seasonal vegetables would also reduce the restaurant's environmental impact.
A cook prepares exclusively plant-based dishes in the kitchen of Arpege, the three-Michelin-starred restaurant of French chef Alain Passard, in Paris, France, July 23, 2025. REUTERS/Gonzalo Fuentes
Passard, 68, rose to fame for his roasted dishes, including "poulet au foin", or chicken cooked in hay, but has since become a leader in Paris's growing vegetable-based dining scene.
"Everything I was able to do with the animal will remain a wonderful memory," Passard told Reuters.
"Today, I'm moving more towards a cuisine of emotion, a cuisine that I could describe as artistic. It's closer to painting and sewing... Today I'm a different chef."
French chef Alain Passard poses in his restaurant 'L'Arpege' in Paris during a photo session. – Photo by BERTRAND GUAY/ AFP)
Arpege is the first restaurant with three Michelin stars in France to move to plant-based food, joining the ranks of Eleven Madison Park in New York, which made a similar transition under chef Daniel Humm.
On the menu is a "mosaic" of tomatoes, flamed aubergine with melon confit, and a dish made up of carrot, onion, shallot and cabbage. The priciest set menu costs 420 euros (US$493) and lunch costs 260 euros.
Some countries have seen consumers turn away from meat in recent years. At the Paris Olympics last year, organisers set out to cut the amount of meat served to athletes and spectators. – Reuters
