Golden Globes meals going meatless to raise environmental awareness

The Golden Globes announced Thursday that the menu for attendees at this year’s awards show will not include meat.

In a statement to The Associated Press, the Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA), which hosts the Globes, said that the decision was made to draw attention to the connection between Americans’ diets and climate change.

“If there’s a way we can, not change the world, but save the planet, maybe we can get the Golden Globes to send a signal and draw attention to the issue about climate change,” HFPA President Lorenzo Soria told the AP. “The food we eat, the way we grow the food we eat, the way we dispose of the food is one of the large contributors to the climate crisis.”

One dish on Sunday’s menu reportedly consists of king oyster mushroom scallops on top of wild mushroom risotto with roasted Brussels sprouts, a dish concocted by Beverly Hilton executive chef Matthew Morgan. Also prepared by Morgan for the menu is a chilled golden beet soup.

Morgan told the AP that he thought the meatless menu would send a positive message to viewers and attendees.

“It was a little shocking when first mentioned, because of being very close to the actual Globes and having already decided on a menu,” he said. “But once we thought about it and the message that it sent, we were really excited about it. That’s something I stand behind myself.”

“People were basically saying it’s too late, we’re ready with all the orders, the holidays and all that,” Soria added to the AP. “But after we began discussions, meeting for one or two days, [the hotel] accepted the change completely. They started to experiment with how to do plant-based meals that was not just their symbolic steps, but also something that guests will enjoy.”