This Iconic Paris Restaurant With 3 Michelin Stars Is Going Vegan

NDTV

4 days ago

Arpege in Paris is now France's first three-Michelin-starred restaurant to go almost completely plant-based. Helmed by legendary Chef Alain Passard, this iconic restaurant recently decided to remove all animal products from its menu (except one). The new offerings will not contain any meat, fish or dairy. The only product of animal origin that will be used is honey from the Arpege's own beehives. This decision is an extension of the restaurant's shift towards plant-based dining, which began in the early 2000s when it dropped red meat from its menu.
About Chef Alain Passard
French Chef Alain Passard is among the most celebrated names in the culinary world. He has exerted significant influence on the development of French cuisine over the years. He demonstrated a dedicated interest in vegetable-centric food in the fine dining world as early as 2001. This has made him something of a pioneer in Paris's burgeoning vegetable-based culinary scene. He is renowned for his mastery of roasted dishes. One of his most famous signatures is "poulet au foin" (chicken cooked in hay).
Passard's passion for nature has sparked Arpege's recent transformation into a predominantly plant-based restaurant. Passard has noted that the use of seasonal vegetables would lessen the environmental impact of the restaurant's activities. "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," he added.
More About Arpege
L'Archestrate by Alain Senderens became Arpege when Chef Alain Passard bought it in 1986. Since then, it has become one of the most critically acclaimed dining destinations in Paris. Arpege achieved the coveted 3-Michelin-star status in 1996 and has retained it to date. The restaurant has a reputation for spotlighting vegetarian and vegan dishes. On the current menu are delicacies such as a "mosaic" of tomatoes, flamed aubergine with melon confit, and a distinctive combination of carrot, onion, shallot and cabbage. At present, the most expensive set menu costs 420 euros (approx. Rs 42,000).
Before Arpege, the three-Michelin-starred Eleven Madison Park in New York had made headlines when it went fully vegan. This trailblazing restaurant is helmed by Chef Daniel Humm.