Michelin awards star to vegan restaurant for the first time in France

A vegan restaurant in south-west France has won a Michelin star, the first for an establishment serving only animal-free products in France. Claire Vallee runs the restaurant ONA – which stands for Origine Non Animale – in the city of Ares, near Bordeaux, which she launched in 2016 thanks to crowdfunding from supporters and a loan from a green bank. “It felt like I got hit by a train,” Vallee told AFP about the moment she received a call from the Guide Michelin informing her of its decision. In addition to Monday’s award of the classic star, Vallee also won a green star, which Michelin introduced last year to reward establishments with a strong record for ethical practices. ONA is “the first vegan restaurant in France to win a star”, a Guide Michelin spokeswoman told AFP. Click here to read the full story from the Guardian.