Renowned French chef takes a stand with plant-based cuisine in a bid to uphold his culinary status
In a major shift for the culinary world, Alain Passard, the renowned chef behind L'Arpège in Paris, has transformed his three-Michelin-starred restaurant by going predominantly plant-based. This move makes L'Arpège the first three-star restaurant in France to adopt such a menu, as of 2025[1][2][4][5].
For nearly 40 years, L'Arpège has been a leading rotisserie in Paris. However, Passard, now 68, has made the decision to remove all meat, fish, eggs, and dairy from the menu, focusing instead on haute cuisine centered around vegetables. Dishes such as a tomato mosaic, flamed eggplant with melon confit, and creative combinations of vegetables are now the stars of the show. The most expensive tasting menu is priced at €420[1][2][5].
Passard, an early ambassador of plant-based cuisine, dropped red meat from his menu back in 2001 and has since been focusing more on vegetables. He views this shift as a natural evolution of his garden-driven culinary philosophy, aiming to push the boundaries of luxury plant-based dining[1][2][5].
The culinary world is watching closely as L'Arpège navigates this new plant-based terrain. Gwendal Poullennec, the Michelin guide international director, was "delighted" with the transition and described it as a "positive approach"[3]. So far, Michelin has retained the three-star rating, recognising the restaurant's innovation and excellence in its new direction[1][3][5].
Other high-end restaurants are following suit. Eleven Madison Park in New York has kept its three stars after becoming exclusively vegan in 2021. De Nieuwe Winkel in the Netherlands has earned two Michelin stars with its plant-based menu[6].
Claire Vallee, a French chef who launched ONA, a vegan restaurant in France, in 2016, understands the challenges of creating plant-based dishes. She describes it as a "colossal task" that requires more preparation, knowledge, and research[7]. ONA won a Michelin star in 2021, making it the first establishment serving only animal-free products in France to receive a Michelin star[7]. However, no other French restaurant serving only plant-based products has been awarded a Michelin star since ONA.
Passard is not planning to become a vegan militant, but he does express comfort with plant-based cooking as it allows him to learn and grow as a chef[8]. He has given himself two years to take his kitchen skills to a new level. Despite the challenges, Passard is not worried about losing his three stars at L'Arpège, stating that they will have to deliver and maintain quality to keep them[8].
Lunch at L'Arpège costs 260 euros, while the most expensive tasting menu is priced at €420. The updated menu includes dishes like mesclun praline with roasted almonds and melon carpaccio. L'Arpège continues to serve one animal product: honey from the restaurateur's own beehives[9].
As L'Arpège forges ahead with its plant-based menu, it serves as a beacon of innovation in the culinary world, demonstrating that high-end dining can be both sustainable and delicious.
[1] The Guardian [2] Eater [3] Michelin Guide [4] CNN [5] The New York Times [6] De Nieuwe Winkel [7] ONA Restaurant [8] Interview with Alain Passard [9] L'Arpège Menu
- Businesses in the health-and-wellness sector, such as the vegan restaurant ONA in France, face the challenge of creating pioneering plant-based dishes, requiring a greater degree of preparation, knowledge, and research.
- The climate-change movement has influenced the fashion-and-beauty industry, compelling businesses to adopt more sustainable practices, a trend exemplified by Alain Passard's transition of L'Arpège to a predominantly plant-based three-star restaurant in Paris.
- Environmental-science experts may analyze the impact of the restaurant industry's shift towards plant-based menus on health-and-wellness, fitness-and-exercise, and overall environmental sustainability.
- As high-end restaurants like L'Arpège and Eleven Madison Park adapt to the plant-based trend, they are shaping the lifestyle of the elite, offering luxury dining experiences that prioritize health, wellness, and an eco-conscious environment.
- The scientific community, including nutritionists and agricultural researchers, may collaborate with businesses in the culinary world to develop sustainable, plant-based diets that foster both personal health and environmental health.
