For the very first time in Golden Globes’ 77-year history, an all-vegan menu will be served to the 1,500 A-list guests in attendance.
The decision to prepare a plant-based menu was made only two weeks before the big night — Beverly Hilton executive chef, Matthew Morgan, had previously conceptualised a menu of Chilean sea bass.
The menu change contributes to a greater movement from the Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA) to raise awareness about sustainable food consumption and a greater movement to a waste-free way of living.
Lorenzo Soria, president of the Hollywood Foreign Press Association, said in a statement: “The climate crisis is impossible to ignore and after speaking with our peers, and friends in the community, we felt challenged to do better.
“We’re hoping to raise awareness around small changes that can have a greater impact.”
The decision was applauded by viewers and attendees alike, perhaps most notably actor and environmental activist Leonardo DiCaprio, who after the announcement Tweeted “Thank you HFPA @goldenglobes”.
Thank you HFPA @goldenglobes ? https://t.co/WQ1yCKd57i
— Leonardo DiCaprio (@LeoDiCaprio) January 2, 2020
According to Vogue, the new three-course menu will be constructed from locally-sourced produce, and will include an entree of chilled golden beet soup.
For the main course, guests will feast upon delightful king oyster mushroom scallops with wild mushroom risotto, Brussels sprouts, globe carrots, and pea tendrils.
Dessert will be a vegan opera dome with praline Gunaja crumble and caramelised hazelnuts.
Soria says the changes to the menu represent “a small step in response to a big problem”.
“We don’t think we’ll change the world with one meal, but we decided to take small steps to bring awareness. The food we eat, the way it is processed and grown and disposed of, all of that contributes to the climate crisis.”
“We know awards shows have a long way to go, and we all can do better.”
The food served is not the sole effort being made to move the awards show into a place of sustainability.
For the pre-show event, a reusable red carpet will be used, and during the entirety of the show, only paper straws will be available for use.
All single-use plastics have also been banned and all water poured for guests will be done so via glass bottles in partnership with Icelandic Glacial.
Of course, the Golden Globes is the first major awards show in the 2020 calendar for film and television, and so the only question we have left is whether those upcoming will follow suit and present their own environmentally responsible initiatives.
Your move, Academy Awards.