HealthyHappyLife.com

  • recipes
  • cookbooks
  • about
  • subscribe
  • mom life
  • travel
  • blogging
  • videos
  • free gift!
  • shop
menu icon
go to homepage
  • recipes
  • cookbooks
  • about
  • subscribe
  • mom life
  • travel
  • blogging
  • videos
  • free gift!
  • shop
search icon
Homepage link
  • recipes
  • cookbooks
  • about
  • subscribe
  • mom life
  • travel
  • blogging
  • videos
  • free gift!
  • shop
×
  • My Pandemic Baby Is Graduating Preschool
  • 5 Comfy-Cute, One Piece Swimsuits - Long Torso Edit
  • Spring Fling: Best Garden & Outdoor Finds for Your Home & Kids
  • Plant-Based Protein Sources: The Ultimate Guide // Back to Basics Series
  • Overthinking Won't Save You — But This Might
  • Creative Mom Working From Home: Glitter, Chaos, & On-Brand Post-its
  • The Ultimate Copenhagen with Kids Guide: Where to Stay, Eat & Play
  • Back to Basics: The Ultimate Guide to Vegan Egg Replacers
  • kathy patalsky hbd 44 joy
    I Bought Myself a Cameo for My Birthday - And No, I Haven't Watched it Yet
  • Easy English Muffin Pizzas for Kids (Vegan & Kid-Approved!)
  • 44. birthday post.
  • 7 Foods for Lung Health During Wildfire Pollution
Home » This and That

Does Chef Boulud Hate Veg*ns? Frustration Ensues...

by Kathy Patalsky · updated: Sep 13, 2019 · published: Jun 24, 2009 · About 4 minutes to read this article. 5 Comments

Veg*n foodies, lets chat. I was thrilled, excited and all around stoked when I found out that the new 'low-brow' Daniel Boulud restaurant, DBGB was opening up at Bowery and Houston streets in NYC-easy access for this downtown chica. And right across the street from vegan mecca, Whole Foods Market, I might add. But my excitement turned to disappointment as I perused the newly unveiled menu posted on the windows of the DBGB building. Vegetarian option: declined. And as one DBGB customer commented on Yelp.com:

"...the menu was a nightmare for vegetarians, which isn't good."

Sigh. Daniel B, I am such a big fan, I love your culinary creations and witty personality. I adored After Hours, your awesome 'foodie dream dinner party' series on TV. So I have to ask, why do you hate veg*ns like me? (And yes, the pic above is a cell phone photo of Daniel when I spotted him outside DBGB one afternoon.) So, fine dining, veggie-options and chefs that seem oblivious. Let's Chat...

DBGB Buzz. I'd stroll by the ever-evolving restaurant waiting and watching for any signs of life, or more importantly, any signs of a menu. And one day I even spotted Daniel B himself, getting into his Town car as he excited the side doorway of the restaurant. He was wearing his elegant eyeglasses, chef's coat and a big smile on his face. Love Daniel the chef, but wait does he hate me? If his not-vegan-friendly-at-all menu is any indication, it seems so.

Boulud's Wild Side. I get it. Chef Boulud wanted to take on the down turned economy by introducing a 'low-brow' burger-ized, 'casual fine dining' restaurant into his repertoire. On DB's website are images splashed across my screen of DB and his head chef wearing jeans, casual shirts and grubby shoes while strolling the Bowery. How chic. How so...Tony Bourdain of him. But I have to wonder why a lax attitude in fine dining doesn't mean a lax attitude in culinary offerings. Why not take chic a step further and offer, gasp, a hip Bowery Veggie Burger. What would Bourdain say?...

DBGB has opened, and the menu is in full view, posted outside and on the web. Let's see, sausages, hamburgers, meat, meat, more meat. Wait, where are the veggies? Where is the vegetarian option? Where is the side note about a vegetarian option available each night (even Michelin-Starred restaurant WD-50 has that. Ugh. Sigh. Sniff. Whimper. Nothing. Nada. I can usually swing something at a non-vegan place like this, but as one Yelper reviewed: "I also thought the menu was a nightmare for vegetarians, which isn't good."

Nightmare indeed. So what's up with these anti-veg*n chefs? And why do Ilove them, but they seem to hate me? Anthony Bourdain, Gordon Ramsey. Love them both. Talented authors, charismatic personalities and bold chefs. But they are never shy about voicing their hate for vegetarian food.

But JG Likes me! Thank you Jean-Georges. He is a big believer in eating healthy and accommodating all types of diets. I also dined at Le Bernardin, where they made a silly little vegan like me (at a notably seafood-heavy restaurant) feel incredibly comfortable and satisfied. My vegan meal was amazing at Le B. So, why do Eric Ripert and Jean-Georges find it appropriate to accommodate vegans, but Daniel B seems to have forgotten his veggie fans completely, via his menu. I'm not asking for a whole section on the menu for vegans, but one veg-friendly, vegan modifiable entree would be nice. If you haven't noticed, the veg-friendly establishments do quite well in this part of town. And DB, your new DBGB joint is right across the street from Whole Foods, vegan mecca.

Special Diets Everywhere. I would think that the first-or heck the last- thing that a chef thinks about when designing a menu is how to accommodate people with special diets or acknowledge the people with food allergies. Look at all the different diets out there: gluten-free, organic, low-fat, low-sodium, vegan, vegetarian, kosher, diabetic, non-dairy and more. I would think that restaurants would want to open their doors to all types of diets. A true chef can cook an amazing meal-for anyone. But really, why would a chef shy away from creating a meal out of seasonal, organic local produce and grains. A vegan entree would be an easy add-on and quite frankly, veggies are cheap! I'm not asking for truffles here. Just a simple micro-green salad and a creative pasta, grain or veggie burger dish.

If you are interested in this 'special diets' topic, you may be interested in signing my Food Network Show petition to increase programming involving special diets: Petition Here.

More This and That

  • Mother's Day 2021
  • The Other Side of the Pandemic: Grandparents, Anxiety & Hope
  • pink pitaya smoothie
    FV Meals: Summer Challenge
  • Vegan in 2019: Meal Plans

About Kathy Patalsky

Hey there! I'm Kathy, lover of kitty cats, weekend baking, 90's movies, travel, beach fog and foamy lattes. Since 2007, I have been sharing my vegan recipes and photos. My goal is to make your cooking life a little easier, delicious - and plant-loaded - while sharing some LIFE and conversation along the way.

Hi, I'm Kathy! I'm so glad you are here! I've been sharing my vegan life and recipes here on the blog since 2007...

More about me →

my cookbooks
my books

Latest Posts

  • Letter from the Editor: Embracing the Holiday Time Glow
  • Vegan Holiday Recipe Quicklist
  • Holiday Gift Guide for 4-5-Year-Olds: Top Picks for Magic and Fun!
  • Vegan "Dad Sandwich" Revisited

Trending

  • All Posts
  • appetizer
  • Mom Life
  • recipes
  • personal
  • dessert
  • holiday
  • Smoothies
  • snacks
  • kid recipes
  • kid crafts
  • salad
  • Sandwiches
  • entree
  • 101 Things I Love. Happiness Reflection.
  • 5-Minute Skillet Chickpeas
  • Vegan Dining at Disneyland - 2023 - Complete List!
  • 7 Tips for Fluffy Cinnamon Rolls
  • avocado toast with mushrooms
    Mushroom Avocado Toast
  • peanut butter chickpeas
    Easy Peanut Butter Curry Chickpeas

Footer

↑ back to top

About

  • about kathy
  • press
  • © 2024 polished dc, llc
  • Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions

Newsletter

  • sign up..
  • subscriber gift: vegan cheat sheets!

Contact

  • work with me

Goodies

  • shop
  • cookbooks
  • finding vegan
  • videos