Celebrity chef John Mountain has sparked mixed responses after declaring that all vegans were banned from his restaurant in Perth, Australia.
Mountain is the owner of Fyre, a restaurant in Connolly in the city’s northern suburbs, which serves up a range of dishes including steaks, fish and risotto.
The restaurant is generally well-reviewed online, earning a rating on Facebook of 4.5 stars out of 5, but Mountain decided to make his bold declaration this week after getting into a dispute with one customer who wasn't so positive.
The chef shared a post on the restaurant's Facebook page yesterday (20 June), writing: "Sadly all vegans are now banned from Fyre (for mental health reasons). We thank you for your understanding.”
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Explaining the move, Mountain claimed he'd received a message from a vegan prior to their arrival at the restaurant and assured them he could accommodate them with vegetables and gnocchi.
However, on the day the customer was due to arrive, Mountain was occupied with a private function he'd forgotten he'd had to cater for.
The following day, Mountain said, he received a complaint from the customer who claimed she was served an unsatisfactory vegetarian meal for $32 AUD ($21/£17).
In a complaint sent via direct message, the customer wrote: “My only option was the vegetable dish… it was okay but not that filling… and I was shocked to see it was $32.
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“I think it’s incredibly important nowadays that restaurants can accommodate everyone and to not be able to have actual plant-based meals shows your shortcomings as a chef.
“I hope to see some improvements in your menu as I have lived in Connolly for quite some time and have seen many restaurants come and go from that building and none of them last.
“If you don’t get with the times, I don’t hold out faith that your restaurant will be the one that does.”
“I think it’s incredibly important nowadays that restaurants can accommodate everyone and to not be able to have actual plant-based meals shows your shortcomings as a chef."
Mountain admitted he'd fallen short on his promises to the customer ahead of her arrival, but argued that the complaint had become personal.
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The chef doubled down on his frustrations while speaking with 7News, saying: "F*** vegans - I’m done with them.
“I once wrote and sold a book called Pig which had pork recipes. People know what they’re getting from me.
“I understand where vegans are coming from but my job is to make food taste as good as I can and I can’t always cater to everybody’s dietary requirements.”
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The mixed responses are clear online, with one person responding: “I'm not vegan but some of my loved ones are and I have to say I’m very disappointed to see this stance being taken."
However, another argued: "Shoe on the other foot, can I go to a vegan or vegetarian restaurant and demand a meat dish? I think not. You do you, Fyre."
UNILAD has contacted Fyre restaurant for comment.
Topics: Australia, Food and Drink, Facebook