Ellen DeGeneres Opening Vegan Restaurant

With her wife Portia di Rossi, Ellen will be opening a vegan restaurant in the Los Angeles area, specifically in the San Fernando Valley. The menu will be created by Tal Ronnen, who also made vegan fare for the pair’s meat-free wedding. Ronnen also prepared food for Oprah’s vegan cleanse, and for the first vegan dinner for the U.S. Senate. His meatless cookbook titled, The Conscious Cook: Meatless Recipes that Will Change the Way You Eat, was a New York Times bestseller.

“Meeting Tal has changed our lives for the better. We wish everyone could experience his cooking. It’s delicious and healthy at the same time—sometimes that’s a hard balance, but not with Tal,” said Degeneres and di Rossi. (Source: Amazon.com) Oprah said she never imagined meatless meals could be so satisfying. Singer Chrissie Hynde and producer Steve Bing are also investing in the new vegan venture. The interior space will be put together by the same designer who helped Angelina Jolie and others with their residential interior decorating.

Over the summer Ellen launched a vegan blog, with tips and recipes, so it seems opening a vegan restaurant is the next logical step. She has also been supporting the work of an animal shelter north of Los Angeles.

Her interest in vegan food was sparked by watching a documentary about how much animals suffer due to the food industry, and factory farms. “I forced myself to watch a documentary called Earthlings that’s inside footage of factory farms and dairy farms. You see that and go I can’t participate in that. I can’t be a part of something that is suffering. Fifty billion animals a year are killed and I think we all fool ourselves that it’s a quick death, and it’s a very disturbing reality.” (Source: US Magazine)

LA doesn’t lack for meat-free dining as you can see from this blog, with various entries for restaurants with menu items for vegetarians and vegans, but in such a huge metro area, it can’t hurt to have another one.

Image Credit: Alan Light

Read more: Health, Vegan and Delicious, Vegetarian

Disclaimer: The views expressed above are solely those of the author and may not reflect those of
Care2, Inc., its employees or advertisers.

Teresa C.

11:03PM PDT on Apr 7, 2012

In general, Ellen is an excellent role model, and there just aren't that many of them out there!

send a green star

richa b.

10:58AM PDT on Apr 6, 2012

good to see that some of these so called celebrities are making positive contribution to society and planet. All the beat to her, thank you for sharing ..

Chinmayee J.

8:54PM PST on Feb 13, 2012

Thanks Ellen for making a difference with your millions! It's always satisfying to see a celebrity stand up for animals and their rights - good luck with it!!

Tim C.

10:16AM PST on Jan 26, 2012

Robin R.

10:15AM PST on Jan 26, 2012

There are lots of negative comments because of other endeavours on Ellen's part or because she chose LA (where she lives). Let's look at the positive: good for her for using her influence to encourage people to at least TRY vegan meals; and good for her for supporting a local animal shelter. It would be wonderful if she stopped endorsing Covergirl who test on animals, but at least she is taking steps in the right direction. Better than most in Hollywood. If you want to contact Ellen to ask her to stop endorsing Covergirl or congratulate her for the vegan efforts you can do so here (I looked it up): http://ellen.warnerbros.com/show/

Marianne B.

12:03PM PST on Jan 25, 2012

Read all comments, please. I agree with the view's of some that state L.A. has enough already....open one where it is needed. Also, Covergirl cosmetics test on animals. So, a true vegan (who also loves animals), would not be a spokesperson with CG and PG. Flip flop? or $$$$$$?? Ellen, do your homework, please.

paula e.

4:44PM PST on Jan 19, 2012

I hope this goes across the US. We need some vegan restaurants.

Sheri P.

11:53AM PST on Dec 28, 2011

I hope her restaurant is highly successful! Wish she'd open one here next...

Deborah B.

3:23PM PST on Nov 11, 2011

One more reason to love Ellen!

Mychael L.

9:20AM PDT on Nov 4, 2011

I think it's sad that someone with enough money to make a vegan restaurant survive anywhere would choose to put it in a place where there's already PLENTY of vegan/vegetarian options. Why wouldn't she think to put it somewhere besides Los Fucking Angeles? There's an entire country that could use healthier dining-out options. FAIL!!!