The Vegan Restaurateur Who Suffered Backlash for Adding Meat to the Menu Talks About the Big Change She Made

Mollie Engelhart’s restaurants have long been a vegan staple in Los Angeles, but she recently made the controversial decision adding meat and dairy to the menu, in a move that has sparked anger and some confusion.

Now, Engelhart talks about the move and why it has changed his opinion on veganism.

Sage Plant-Based Bistro became Sage Regenerative Kitchen & Brewery last month after Engelhart announced the change on social media, sparking a furious backlash. Since May 29, Sage has been serving animal products such as beef, bison, cheese and eggs.

He explained in an interview with Fox News Digital that his opinion on veganism has changed since opening his first restaurant in 2011. Previously, Engelhart said he thought veganism was best for the environment and the Earth, but after years Researcher now believes that a diet that includes dairy and meat, when consumed responsibly, is actually better for the environment.

“There’s a lot of misinformation about the environment, and we get into these silos and think, ‘I’m conservative, I hate the environment,’ or ‘I’m liberal, I love the environment,’ but I don’t think any of those things are true.” , he claimed. “Everyone needs healthy soil, forget about carbon, credits, windmills, solar panels and Teslas.”

On an Earth Day instagram message, Engelhart explained that the restaurant’s menu would shift its focus toward foods grown using regenerative farming methods, an approach to farming that prioritizes soil health, biodiversity and natural processes, according to the America’s Regenerative Farmers.

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“We all want to eat healthy foods that come from healthy soil that don’t contain chemicals… that’s a pretty basic desire,” he added.

Engelhart said she was raised by “hippie” parents and grew up on a vegetarian, primarily vegan, diet. Her father is the founder of Café Gratitude and Gracias Madre, which, along with Sage, are some of the largest vegan restaurants in the Los Angeles area.

“We all came to this with a pure heart, thinking it was the best for human health and for everyone,” he said.

Then, over time, she and her father began farming and came to different conclusions about what was best for both the environment and human health.

“I had a farm in California, literally, because I was vegan,” she said. “I thought cow farts were the problem, and then I realized that food waste is a huge problem and it’s rotting in our landfills.”

Engelhart said he had a “fantasy” that he could have a sanctuary farm where no animals ever died, but he quickly realized that wasn’t possible.

“I had this righteous view that somehow it was better for causing no harm and that my food had the same harm,” she said, and quickly realized that even foods she thought were “vegan” were fertilized or manufactured with animal products.

When he made the decision to move away from the all-vegan menu at his restaurant, he expected an upset reaction, but he said he stayed true to the brand’s mission.

“My commitment has always been to get really clean food,” he said. “I don’t serve impossible burgers, I don’t serve fake meat, I don’t believe in processed foods. So for me, it’s always been about whole foods and now I’m adding whole foods like eggs and meat.”

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“I’m still not going to use processed foods or chemicals, so I’m staying pretty true to my beliefs and identity,” she added. “I just do it from a different angle, which bothers people.”

Engelhart said the “degenerative” agricultural system, which currently dominates much of the industry, involves too many chemicals, tillage and plowing.

With regenerative agriculture, he said, the goal is to have very little or no tillage, so there is less soil breakdown, more integration of animals, which means allowing animals to graze between planting crops, greater biodiversity, which is achieved by planting a variety of crops and fewer chemicals in general.

Sage Regenerative Kitchen and Brewery (Mollie Engelhart)

“This is an incredible tool and while everyone is spreading fear and selling solar panels and windmills, there is a solution that is extraordinary for human health, soil health, planetary health and the microbiology of all our guts “, he claimed.

Engelhart admitted that the environment is a divisive issue, but believes the conversation should focus on clean water, soil and air, rather than the “esoteric threat that we are all going to burn in hell and that we are the plague.” in the planet”. planet.”

“I believe that regenerative agriculture and consuming food from the regenerative agriculture system, which has to include animal integration, is the most important thing we can do for our personal health and the health of our environment,” he added.

Engelhart reflected on the “two sides” of the vegan community: one that is truly committed to health and the environment, and the other that defends animals.

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“I think the person who cares about their personal health and the environment will probably accept and still be willing to eat at my restaurant,” he said. “I think the person who says, ‘If you willingly and knowingly kill an animal, you’re a murderer’… That person and I can’t have a conversation based on any logic.”

Melted venison empanada (Taylor Bescoby)

Engelhart said he hopes vegan restaurants and the vegan diet continue to exist.

“If you agree with me 80% or 70%, I’ll be fine with that, and I want you to be able to have different opinions than me,” he said. “I think all of America, not just vegans [community]”We’re in this world of cancel culture where we think everyone has to agree with us all the time.”

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Fox News’ Nik Lanum contributed to this report.