Oscar 2020 Menu is set to be Plant Based

From Golden Globes to Oscars- everybody is opting for plant-based food! 

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced Oscars are going to turn greener this year. According to the leading magazine Variety, the Academy has announced that it will be offering entirely plant-based menus at today’s Oscar Nominees Luncheon and then in the Dolby Theatre lobbies prior to the 92nd Academy Awards on February 9.

The post-ceremony Governors Ball menu comprises 70% plant-based, and 30% vegetarian, fish and meat dishes while all the food will be sustainably farmed and responsibly sourced. 

During Golden Globes Awards, the menu was adjusted to king oyster mushroom “scallops” with wild mushroom risotto and vegetable from the original Chilean sea bass dish. A ‘vegan opera dome’ by pastry chef Thomas Henzi was served as dessert. 

The insights

A statement of the organisation also mentioned that the Academy is an organisation of storytellers from around the world, and it owes global membership a commitment to supporting the planet. For the past decade, the Academy has always been committed in showing efforts to reduce its carbon footprint. Fortunately, for the last seven years, the Oscars show has had a zero-carbon imprint. A statement mentioned that Oscars still continue to expand their sustainability plan with the ultimate goal of becoming carbon neutral. This Academy’s new move has been followed by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association’s last-minute decision to have a plant-based menu at the leading Golden Globes Award function.

But why choose to go plant-based?

Is it just another food trend or the Academy of Motion Picture Arts is trying to pander to in order to please the front row A-listers like Joaquin Phoenix and Leonardo di Caprio? 

But talking about award functions this year, it’s not just the Golden Globes and the Academy Awards going vegan, the recent Critics Choice Awards also went meat-free this year. The Academy’s new plans follow similar moves like Hollywood Foreign Press Association’s to have a 100% plant-based menu at the Golden Globes. The menu also included a chilled golden beet soup appetizer.

Climate change being a recent issue and acknowledging animal agriculture’s role in the degradation of our planet and boldly taking measures to do its part to reduce harm, the Golden Globes organizers, the Hollywood Foreign Press Association have shown great leadership. 

 The leading star of Joker, Joaquin  Phoenix appreciated the menu change and thanked the Hollywood Foreign Press in his awards acceptance speech. He mentioned about the brilliant chefs, who are worth giving the credit for working so hard to confront the environmental perils we face by supporting a plant-based 77th Golden Globes celebration. He said he looks forward to attending the event this Sunday.

It will always be appreciated if the celebrities at awards take a cue from the same and make a plant-based diet a part of their routine. Rather than try to force a lifestyle choice on the public – and their viewers – perhaps they should instead work to educate them on the science and the facts and let them make their own choice.

Over to you

This is a good decision which shows that even little efforts by our community can help create a whole lot of awareness amongst people. 

While the UN and other environmental agencies have linked meat production with climate change, scientists and officials have not yet outright asked everyone to become vegan or vegetarian but taking such steps could help to save the environment from further damage.