The first fine dining dish featuring cell-cultivated meat is taking shape at Bar Crenn in San Francisco: it's a Upside Foods chicken in tempura with charred Mexican chili peppers. But the debut date is still pending.
The News
June 28th could mark a historic date for the culinary world: it wasn't just any delivery driver ringing the doorbell at Bar Crenn in San Francisco. In the van were the orange boxes from Upside Foods, a pioneering company in the production of lab-grown meat, delivering the first-ever shipment. Essentially, it involves animal stem cells that are multiplied and transformed into muscles, fats, or connective tissue, with the addition of gelatin or proteins to perfect the structure, without the need for slaughter.
Dominique Crenn, who eliminated all types of meat from her three restaurants four years ago, had agreed to become a spokesperson and consultant for the brand, visiting laboratories to test the products and their potential uses. However, official approvals were required before moving forward. And that's exactly what happened: in mid-June, approval was granted by the United States Department of Agriculture, and last week came the "Grant of Inspection" (GOI) following the site visit. Thus, the green light has been given to start marketing cultivated chicken meat to chefs and consumers in the United States.
It all started at the tables of Atelier, Crenn's three-Michelin-star restaurant, where Uma Valeti, the founder and CEO of Upside Foods, has long been a regular. "I had the privilege of personally knowing him, familiarizing myself with his vision, sensitivity, and storytelling. His vision was clear, thoughtful, and uplifting for the world. He understood the need to change the food system for stimulating and noble reasons. I connected with all of this," shared the renowned chef. The tasting was crucial for her involvement. "The taste and quality also matched what I was focused on. To my great surprise and excitement, the chicken was juicy, delicious, and better than any supermarket breast I had ever eaten. I was sold"
And the first recipe has already taken shape: it's a bite-sized piece of Upside Foods chicken served in tempura with Recado Negro, a typical charred chili paste from Yucatan, accompanied by burnt chili aioli, flowers, and herbs from the Blue Belle Farm, the restaurant's own farm. As the serving dish, a handcrafted black ceramic bowl featuring Mexican designs and the restaurant's logo, emitting cool nitrogen fumes at the table. This way, the narrative reaches its conclusion: that of a sustainable and cruelty-free cuisine, supporting the so-called "stewardship", which involves responsible resource management, craftsmanship, and self-production.
Source: Food & Wine
