150-Year-Old French Pâtisserie Ladurée Goes Vegan

Later this summer, 150-year-old French pâtisserie chain Ladurée will revamp its Beverly Hills location to be fully vegan—a first for the brand. The new menu is being created by vegan chef and entrepreneur Matthew Kenney, who will replace the dairy-based butter and eggs with ingredients such as almond buttermilk and coconut oil. Kenney will also incorporate savory menu items, such as Jackfruit Dabe with glazed vegetables and pomme purée. In September, the brand will add vegan macarons and other vegan items to the menu—in addition to its traditional items—at its Paris locations before expanding the new options to roughly 80 locations worldwide. The addition of vegan menu items is Ladurée’s effort to evolve the brand. “We are not aiming to deviate from the ethos that has made Ladurée a global success,” Kenney told media outlet Bloomberg. “Instead, our focus will be on the reinterpretation of the essence of Ladurée while employing plants toward this objective.” The Ladurée revamp joins a growing list of ventures that Kenney has undertaken in recent years. Last week, Kenney officially opened an all-vegan food hall in Providence, RI, which features a collection of Kenney’s restaurant concepts, including vegan pizzeria Double Zero, Mexican restaurant Bar Verde, casual bistro New Burger, and raw-food eatery Make Out.