WHY AN AMAZONIAN CHEF SAID NO TO A VEGAN DINNER FOR PRINCE WILLIAM EVENT

Saulo Jennings, a chef from Brazil’s Amazon region, is so passionate about the rainforest’s flavours — like the massive pirarucu fish — that he refused to cater a vegan dinner at an environmental awards ceremony hosted by Britain’s Prince William.

- FRAN BLANDY

Chef Saulo Jennings at his restaurant Casa do Saulo Quinta de Pedras in Belem, Para state, Brazil, on Nov 1.

(PHOTO:AFP)

The 47-year-old chef is, however, ready to impress heads of state at the COP30 meeting in the Amazon this week with an immersive dinner showcasing both plant and animal ingredients from the world’s largest rainforest.

Jennings was appointed a UN gastronomy ambassador in 2024 and has cooked for presidents, diplomats, and even Mariah Carey.

Born and raised on the banks of the Tapajos River in northern Brazil, where he opened the first of his six restaurants 16 years ago, Jennings told AFP that sustainability, for him, is about balance.

Why did you decide not to cook for Prince William and 700 guests at the Earthshot Awards dinner in Rio de Janeiro this week?

The request I received was to create a 100% vegan menu, and I explained that I didn’t feel comfortable signing off on such a menu because my work is precisely to show that the Amazon is sustainable, and this includes the fish.