ONA (restaurant)

{{Infobox restaurant|rating={{Michelinstar|1}} 1 Michelin star, 2 Gault Millau chef's hats|website={{URL|clairevallee.com}}}}

ONA was a vegan restaurant in Arès, France{{Cite web|agency=Agence France-Presse|date=2021-01-19|title=Michelin awards star to vegan restaurant for the first time in France|url=http://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/jan/19/michelin-awards-star-to-vegan-restaurant-for-the-first-time-in-france|access-date=2021-01-21|website=the Guardian|language=en}} owned by chef Claire Vallée and was the first vegan restaurant to receive a Michelin star.{{Cite news|last=Breeden|first=Aurelien|date=2021-01-19|title=Vegan Restaurant Gets Michelin Star in France, a First|language=en-US|work=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2021/01/19/world/europe/ona-michelin-star-france.html|access-date=2021-01-21|issn=0362-4331}} The name stands for origine non-animale{{Cite news|date=2021-01-19|title=ONA: Vegan restaurant becomes first in France to get Michelin star|language=en-GB|work=BBC News|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-55717253|access-date=2021-01-21}} and the restaurant uses no animal products in its food, decorations or furnishings. ONA was opened in 2016 by Vallée, a self-taught chef, and offered a seven-course tasting menu.{{Cite web|author=Rob Picheta and Saskya Vandoorne|title=Vegan restaurant becomes first in France to earn a Michelin star|url=https://www.cnn.com/travel/article/france-vegan-restaurant-michelin-star-intl-scli/index.html|access-date=2021-01-21|website=CNN|language=en}}{{Cite web|last=France|first=Connexion|title=Michelin 2021: Vegan restaurant first in France to win star|url=https://www.connexionfrance.com/French-news/Michelin-2021-Vegan-restaurant-becomes-first-in-France-to-win-star-in-difficult-year-for-the-industry|access-date=2021-01-21|website=www.connexionfrance.com|language=en}} 95% of its clientele was neither vegan nor vegetarian, the chef said in 2021.{{Cite web |date=2021-01-20 |title=Distinguée au Michelin, Claire Vallée, la bonne étoile de la "gastronomie végétale" |url=https://www.nouvelobs.com/topnews/20210120.AFP4652/distinguee-au-michelin-claire-vallee-la-bonne-etoile-de-la-gastronomie-vegetale.html |access-date=2022-03-12 |website=L'Obs |language=fr}} The restaurant closed permanently in October 2022.{{Cite web |title=En Gironde, ce restaurant ferme définitivement un an après sa première étoile Michelin |url=https://actu.fr/nouvelle-aquitaine/ares_33011/en-gironde-ce-restaurant-ferme-definitivement-un-an-apres-sa-premiere-etoile-michelin_54908996.html |access-date=2023-03-05 |website=actu.fr |language=fr}}

History

Vallée opened the restaurant using loans from ethical bank {{ill|La Nef (entreprise)|fr|lt=La Nef}} and crowdfunding. The Michelin Guide for 2021 awarded ONA one Michelin star, a first among vegan restaurants.{{Cite web|title=French culinary 1st: Vegan restaurant earns Michelin star|url=https://abcnews.go.com/International/vegan-restaurant-wins-michelin-star-france/story?id=75339915|access-date=2021-01-21|website=ABC News|language=en}} ONA was also one of 33 restaurants in France to receive a Green Star,{{cite web|url=https://thebeet.com/ona-becomes-frances-first-all-vegan-eatery-to-be-awarded-a-michelin-star/|website=thebeet.com|title=ONA Becomes France's First All-Vegan Eatery With a Michelin Star|date=2021-01-19|author=Spencer Whaley|accessdate=2021-01-27}} a new category by the Michelin Guide awarded for sustainable practices. In 2018, the restaurant had been awarded a Michelin Fork.

References