ONA, in the south-west of France, has become the first vegan restaurant to be awarded a Michelin star in the country.
ONA, which stands for ‘Origine Non Animale’, was launched in 2016 by chef and restaurateur Claire Vallee. It was awarded the honour during an online ceremony where Michelin Guide France announced its latest set of stars.
In addition to receiving its first star, ONA was also recognised with Michelin’s green clover symbol, which was launched last year and promotes restaurants serving ‘sustainable gastronomy’.
Vallee offered seven dishes on her gourmet menu before she had to close ONA because of COVID-19 restrictions. Although now considered a pioneer for vegan cuisine in France, Vallee noted that she was simply following in the footsteps of others, singling out the late Jean-Christian Jury who ran Mano Verde in Berlin.
New stars for Michelin Guide Great Britain and Ireland will be announced during an online ceremony on the 25th of January.
