If you build it, they will come.

Wise words from the mouth of Kevin Costner that I found myself murmuring recently as I walked out of plant-based burger mecca Lekkah Burger. Before you roll your eyes, I promise you I am not grateful all the time, or Zen, I don't wear hemp or put a label on how I eat or live. I do like steamed vegetables, but think they are better sautéed or air fried or, in my case, smoked and sauced (it’s all about the sauce). It should come as no surprise that plant-based eaters don’t want to eat salad or tofu every day. We are just like you – we like really good food, rich flavors, and exceptional food experiences.

Ahead of a planned family trip to Paris, a friend recommended Chef’s Table on Netflix to learn about Alain Passard and his 3 Michelin-star restaurant Arpèrge. In 2001, he had grown uninspired by meat and wanted to try something new to reignite his passion. He struck out to create a vegetarian menu using strictly ingredients available on his farm outside Paris. Farm to table is nothing new, but a Michelin-star restaurant serving a vegetarian tasting menu is rare – very rare. In the show, he talks about how colleagues warned him that he would lose his stars if he made the change. Spoiler alert, he did not.

After watching the show and researching the restaurant, visiting Arpèrge was at the top of my list for our trip. On a quiet Wednesday night last month, sans kids, my friend Tiffany and I donned our fanciest attire and headed over to Arpèrge. We were surprised to find that from the moment we walked in we felt welcomed. The vibe was not stuffy or pretentious, but rather comfortable and relaxing. After a thirteen-course tasting menu, Tiffany (who is not plant-based) and I agreed that it was one of the best meals of our lives and overall, an absolutely incredible experience.

I left the restaurant thinking, “I am so glad Chef Passard didn’t listen to the naysayers.” Just because it hasn’t been done before doesn’t mean that people aren’t looking for it. Nineteen years ago, Alain Passard took a perceived gamble in a country that worships cheese and fine meat-based dining, and won. Thanks to trail blazers like him, including some of my favorites - Amanda Cohen, Matthew Kenney and Dan Barber - there many vegetable-forward fine dining establishments in NYC.

On the other end of the spectrum, quick service restaurants that were notoriously animal-based are now serving plant-based Impossible and Beyond burgers. Plant-based burger joints and fast casual spots are popping up coast to coast. Proof positive that the audience is there; they are just waiting to be invited. I created Pure Grit because I feel strongly that, like me, there are others out there who want to participate in BBQ but they just haven’t had a seat at the table. I am hoping that, like my newest inspiration Alain Passard, if I build it you will come - no star required - just a field of dreams.