Why I was right to ban vegans

I remember the day I heard my culinary hero Daniel Humm had decided to make Eleven Madison Park’s menu plant-based. It was as profound as the day Princess Diana died and as pivotal as the birth of my first child, Lily Elvis.

The news tore the joy from my heart as well as all the love and respect I had for Humm. The toil, tenacity and sheer stamina it took him to earn his three Michelin stars is extraordinary.

Who am I to criticize one of the greatest chefs alive today? I’m a nobody. Yes, I’ve worked at three-Michelin-starred restaurants, served Queen Elizabeth II and starred in the BBC’s Great British Menu but I’m just a cook: nothing more and nothing less.

But after cooking for 30 years and running my own place, Fyre in Perth, Australia, for three, I know a thing or two about what people want to eat – and what they don’t.

Which is why, two years ago, I banned vegans from my restaurant. I still stand by the post I made on Facebook at the time: “Sadly all vegans are now banned from Fyre (for mental health reasons). We thank you for your understanding. Xx.”

A diner was not happy that I didn’t offer her a vegan option. Things escalated and I banned her tribe. They’re quite a nasty bunch and they’ve been leaving a lot of one-star reviews online, trying to ruin my business. But now I appear to have been vindicated.

That said, the sickness of veganism lasted quite some time. Humm retained three Michelin stars because the rest of his “show” was immaculate.

A close friend of mine, a chef called John Evans, told me he had arranged a dinner at Eleven Madison Park. I seriously questioned his sanity. Why would you spend all that money on a plate of plants? It really was beyond me.

John returned from New York and said the experience was surreal. “But what about the food,” I enquired – “tell me, tell me.” His silence spoke volumes. Diplomatically, he focused on the experience, the tour of the kitchen, how regimented everything was. The look in his eyes told me the food itself was, at best, “meh.”

The restaurant game is hard enough as it is. Try making a dollar today with the laws that are in place, the taxation, government regulations, employee liability insurance, workers’ compensation, property fees (more than $25,000 per annum in my little place), minimum wage, penalty rates, cost of goods. The list goes on. Why are we still doing this? The answer is simple: for the pure love of showing our guests what we have taken decades to learn – the blood, sweat and tears that go into that crème brulée are far beyond your wildest dreams.

Eleven Madison Park continued its high level of service, stunning surroundings and even better back-of-house standards. But come on, Daniel, there’s only so many dishes you can make with dashi, tofu and lemongrass – and at $365 per guest, you’re really taking the piss. So when the news broke about the return of the vital protein, meat, to his menu, it was almost as if I had been holding my breath for four long years.

I hate to think about the debt that Humm has probably accrued over those years. And the reason for the return to meat? Financial! I could have told you that four years ago, Chef Humm. It matters not the standard of your cuisine; the customer is king and key to the success of any eating house.

You cannot maintain a financially stable business by restricting the dietary options. Fewer than 2 percent of humans wandering this planet of ours eat plant-based diets. Most do so due to their religious beliefs, and many are below the poverty line – $365 might be their annual food budget.

Then consider the mental stability of some of those wonderful vegans, particularly in the West. My business was targeted by a bunch of lunatics. I had to physically throw these people off my premises. What “normal” human is ejected from an eatery (if they aren’t intoxicated, at least)?

So thanks, Daniel Humm, the journey was epic. Best of luck: head down, bum up and remember, #saynotovegans.

This article was originally published in The Spectator’s September 29, 2025 World edition.