Michelin-star Soho brasserie goes vegan despite owner saying he knows he will lose customers
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A Michelin-starred French chef has turned his Soho brasserie vegan despite admitting some of his regulars will never return.
Alexis Gauthier, who previously cooked in the traditional meat-and-butter-heavy French style, has been reducing his animal product consumption since activist group Peta protested outside his restaurant for selling foie gras.
After the protests, he stopped serving the controversial dish at Gauthier, and made a vegan version out of lentils, walnuts and Cognac instead.
Since then, he has experimented with offering vegan dishes at the restaurant, a favourite of Paul McCartney’s, and decided to only eat plant-based food himself.
"We have been working towards it for a number of years and for the last five years at least, all the most creative effort has gone into the vegan dishes. Now, there is no animal product in the dishes whatsoever, and I am vegan myself. It would be unethical for me to profit from selling dead animals,” the chef told website Big Hospitality.
However, he has admitted that some long-standing customers, who love traditional French food, will feel let down and perhaps will not return.
Mr Gauthier, pictured below, explained: "It's been a big problem, I was aware that I had a fight on my hands, especially as many customers have been eating my food since I was at Roussillion. I understand people feel let down.
"No one says I don't agree with you, they respect it but – equally – they want to eat meat and fish when they go out. I get that, but I say, trust me, what we cook is as good as that. Some people are up for it and some aren't.
"It's hard to replicate the skin of a roast chicken or the depth of flavour of a lobster, but we have to try."
The idea of a vegan croissant may make most traditional French chefs baulk, but the chef is now selling them at his new cafe 123V at Fenwick’s on Bond Street, offering the well-heeled regulars at the department store vegan burgers, croissants and salads.
