UK Government Wants Foie Gras To Go Vegan

Controversial French cuisine 'delicacy' may soon totally disappear from the UK.

Foie grass is known for animal cruelty, and vegan activists have been fighting against it for years. 

Many luxury restaurants and shops are already turning their back on foie gras. The UK government plans to ban it and is currently looking for ways to replace it with a vegan version. 

UK MPs vowed to ban trade in foie gras. Currently, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) is working on legislation to outlaw the import and sale of the product. A government spokesperson confirmed officials were seeking meetings with those involved in creating plant-based foie gras to find out how they could mitigate the effects of a ban. 

Based on animal cruelty grounds, the production of foie grass is illegal in the UK. However, some of the top restaurants still import it from France and can legally sell it. 

The production of foie grass is a horrible process known as gavage, where ducks and geese are force-fed. The grain is poured directly into a funnel or tube that has been inserted down their neck. After two weeks, the bird's liver has swollen to many times its average size. 

Ahead of the trade ban, the UK government is looking to end the import of this cruel 'treat' to the country. The government officials invited vegan chefs and restaurateurs to discuss how to prepare 'faux gras' made with nuts and mushrooms. According to the Guardian, the government wanted to show that a gap in the market "could be filled by high-end chefs who are willing to produce alternatives."

The government has invited French chef Alexis Gauthier who runs fine-dining plant-based restaurants in London, for talks with policy advisers. Gauthier stopped selling foie grass after activists demonstrated in front of his venues. From then on, he has served vegan foie gras to his guests.

The government wanted to see if a gap in the market caused by a ban could be filled by 'faux gras'. In the email sent to him, the official wrote: "I understand your restaurant serves an alternative to foie gras. We would appreciate the chance to arrange a virtual meeting with the chef or someone else from the team to discuss a few questions in this area. These would be questions about your views on foie gras and the challenges and opportunities associated with 'ethical' alternatives

Gauthier told the Guardian that foie gras used to be a bestselling item on his menu and that he used to sell 20kg of it a week. Now, people are coming from around to his restaurants to try his vegan foie gras.