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Chef Alain Ducasse is serving up vegan plant-based burgers from a Paris kiosk
Feast your eyes on Alain Ducasse’s vegan plant-based burger! — Picture courtesy of Pierre Lucet via ETX Studio
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PARIS, April 8 — Zucchini, carrots, parsnips, lentils, quinoa and onions... so goes the recipe for the veggie burger patty that top chef Alain Ducasse is about to start serving at a Paris kiosk. Unlike many animal protein-free burgers, the superstar chef is taking the concept further by making the recipe entirely vegan.
Eating is a form of activism, according to Alain Ducasse, who underpinned this idea in a book, titled Manger est un acte citoyen and taking the form of a manifesto, published in 2017. From favouring cereals and working with legumes to repurposing peelings, and rethinking techniques to throw away less and extract maximum flavour, the chef-turned-entrepreneur spells out his thinking, based on a more conscious approach to cooking, long in tune with environmental issues. In 2014, Alain Ducasse decided to remove meat from the menu of his Michelin-starred restaurant at the Plaza Athénée hotel in Paris. It was the beginning of a gastronomic adventure that gave rise to a concept called “Naturalité.”
The legendary chef’s departure from the Avenue Montaigne establishment does not mean the end of Alain Ducasse’s involvement in the promotion of a more responsible approach to food. On the contrary. Friday, April 8, the chef will open a food stand named Burgal and located on the French capital’s Place de la Bastille, where a burger made without any animal protein will be sold. It’s a trendy field right now, and one with its share of food innovations, often coming from the US or Asia. Indeed, the plant-based food market has a bright future ahead. By 2029, it is expected to be worth more than US$95 billion (RM401 billion), according to the predictions of the California-based research firm, Meticulous Market Research Inc.
Burgal’s patty is made with zucchini, parsnips, quinoa, carrots, lentils and onions. And even vegans will be able to take a bite, since the golden bun contains no eggs, no butter and not even milk. Chef Ducasse promises that all the ingredients used are French, except for the cassava and pepper. The burger is complemented by an eggplant condiment and pickles.
On the side, you won’t find fries, but vegetable or chickpea chips. Count €7.50 (RM35) for the burger, or €12.50 for a burger menu with a drink and chips. And there’s no need to hold back on dessert, as even the chocolate mousse is vegan. — ETX Studio