Celebrity Chef Bans Vegans From His Restaurant

In response to a negative review from a vegan customer highlighting the lack of plant-based options, celebrity chef John Mountain has decided to ban vegans from his restaurant. This controversial move by Mr. Mountain has triggered a heated online debate between meat-eaters and non-meat eaters. While some individuals have expressed support for his decision, others vehemently oppose it.

British chef John Mountain rose to fame through BBC’s Great British Menu and after retiring from TV, he moved to Australia, where he opened his own restaurant.

A young girl reached out to Mr. Mountain, saying she was coming to the restaurant on a Saturday, and she asked if there were any vegan options available. The chef responded positively, saying they will accommodate her and that they had gnocchi and vegetables. Being busy catering to a private party, the chef forgot about making vegan accommodations.

The following day, the customer wrote a complaint to the restaurant on Facebook, criticizing the $32 vegetable dish that was her “only option”. She reportedly added, “I think it’s incredibly important nowadays that restaurants can accommodate everyone and to not be able to have actual plant-based meals shows your shortcomings as a chef.”

As a result, the restaurant was flooded with one-star reviews on Google, which takes a toll on one business’ reputation. Shortly after, the restaurant posted an announcement, stating that “Sadly all vegans are now banned from our restaurant (for mental health reasons). We thank you for your understanding.”

Mr. Mountain noted that customers should be aware of his culinary style, referencing his cookbook titled Pig which features pork recipes. “People know what they’re getting from me,” he said. “I understand where vegans are coming from, but my job is to make food taste as good as I can, and I can’t always cater to everybody’s dietary requirements.”

In a world full of unique regulations and surprising restrictions, Mr. Mountain’s decision to ban vegans from his restaurant adds to the list of unconventional bans observed across the globe.