Guests dining at the 77th annual Golden Globes will notice a substantial difference in the menu this year. The prestigious award show will serve an entirely meatless menu, reports Associated Press . It will be the first major awards show to exclude meat entirely.
The decision to serve “100% plant-based meals[s]” comes from the Hollywood Foreign Press Association. They hope that this controversial decision will help to raise awareness about the dire state of our environment.
Lorenzo Soria, the president of the Hollywood Foreign Press Association, defended his decision by explaining how much what we eat and grow affects Earth’s atmosphere and climate change at large.
The awards ceremony will be held at The Beverly Hilton in Beverly Hills, California. Associated Press reports there were some disagreements when the decision was first announced, but now the hotel is more accepting. The hotel’s executive chef, Matthew Morgan, now claims he supports the altered menu.
“It was a little shocking when first mentioned, because of being very close to the actual Globes and having already decided on a menu,” said Morgan.
The menu will include “king oyster mushrooms scallops and wild mushroom risotto, along with roasted baby purple and green Brussels sprouts and carrots.” As an appetizer, guests will be served “chilled golden beet soup.”
The Hollywood Foreign Press Association has also partnered with Icelandic Glacial to serve water in glass bottles instead of plastic.
It’s interesting that the Golden Globes chose this year to implement the new menu since Ricky Gervais — an outspoken animal rights activist — is set to host the show yet again. The article doesn’t indicate if Gervais had any input on the food decision, but he likely supports it. People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals ( PETA ) even declared the comedian as their Person of the Year in 2013.
There is some dissonance on social media about whether or not this “meatless” idea is a good one. Many people believe that it’s a little ironic to serve wealthy people plant-based food on the basis of saving the environment when many celebrities fly privately and promote animal-tested cosmetic brands and clothing.
“And no one’s wearing leather, none of the food will be flown in, and no private jets will be used by any of the stars. Oh wait,” tweeted one sarcastic Twitter user.
“If they really cared about the environment they wouldn’t use limos, electricity from power plants, travel in private planes, etc,” wrote a second person.
The 77th Golden Globe Awards will air on NBC on Sunday, January 5, at 8 p.m. ET.
