Le Bernardin Introduces Vegan Desserts to Its Michelin-Starred Menu

With three Michelin stars, New York City's Le Bernardin is among the world’s premier seafood restaurants. Chef Eric Ripert's expertise in fine dining makes this world-class eatery a must-visit destination for tourists and New Yorkers alike. Now, Chef Ripert and Le Bernardin’s esteemed pastry chef, Orlando Soto, will introduce groundbreaking vegan desserts using Nature's Fynd’s Fy fungi protein – the new microbe-based protein sourced from the Yellowstone National Park hot springs.

Le Bernardin’s summer tasting menu will feature several new desserts using the Fy protein. With Nature’s Fynd Dairy-Free Cream Cheese, the chef will add a cheesecake plated in a Fy-filled squash blossom with blackberry sorbet and apricot. The restaurant will also serve guests an apricot sorbet chamomile ice cream.

Le Bernardin’s new menu items will mark the first time Fy Protein is featured in a fine dining or food service menu. The easily adaptable, highly nutritious protein source is able to provide a base for meat-free and dairy-free foods. Ripert will also join Nature’s Fynd as the company’s new Culinary Advisor. The legendary chef will help the brand improve its commercial offerings as well as expand its foodservice partnerships.

“I’m delighted to join the Nature’s Fynd team as its new Culinary Advisor and to take part in developing products that spotlight this innovative new protein option,” Ripert said in a statement. “I look forward to working closely with their team to showcase the versatility of Nature’s Fynd’s Fy in a variety of dishes from everyday breakfasts to the fine dining desserts we’ve added to Le Bernardin’s tasting menu. The possibilities are endless.”

Nature’s Fynd is not an ordinary plant-based protein company. Stemming from NASA-funded research in Yellowstone National Park, Nature’s Fynd is the brainchild of founder Mark Kozubal, Ph.D. The scientists discovered a nutritional fungi protein on the outskirts of the hot springs in Yellowstone that requires a fraction of the energy and materials of conventional animal agriculture. After isolating the microbe, Kozubal and his company developed a proprietary fermentation technology that allows them to produce massive quantities of this microbe.

Since its founding in 2012, Nature’s Fynd has secured $500 million to improve its production and distribution capabilities. The company is aiming to expand its commercial offerings within the coming years. Currently, shoppers can find several retail products nationwide including the Original and Maple Flavored Meatless Breakfast Patties and Original and Chive & Onion Dairy-Free Cream Cheese.

The company’s signature Fy is a nutritionally dense, easily adaptable, complete protein. Unlike several rivaling protein alternatives, the Fy protein contains all 20 amino acids, high fiber, and several other essential nutrients. The company intends to help major food establishments improve their sustainable, healthy options.

“There is no one more respected and admired in the culinary world than Chef Eric Ripert,” Nature’s Fynd CEO and co-Founder Thomas Jonas said in a statement. “He has set the highest culinary standards for decades at Le Bernardin and we couldn’t be more humbled to partner with him on our journey as a new brand. His unwavering standards will help us deliver the most delicious Fy-based foods to nourish people and nurture our planet.”

This month, SpaceX announced that Nature's Fynd microbe-based protein is intended to replace traditional "space food" in the company's revived space program. Nature's Fynd just sent a protein-growing incubator into space on the SpaceX-25 mission this week. Once in orbit, the astronauts will test the incubator to see how the protein reacts to low-gravity and low-orbit conditions.

“We’re thrilled to announce our role in the revolutionary NASA research to develop a safe, efficient, and robust system for producing fresh food in space,” Jonas said in a statement. Our connection to NASA is deep — Nature’s Fynd started as a research project for NASA, which led us to discover a remarkable microbe with origins in Yellowstone National Park,”

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