In today’s culture, increasingly driven by wellness, gastronomy embodies creativity, authenticity, and origin. Paradoxically, veganism struggles to find its place in this new equation of desire; often criticized for its dependence on processed products, lack of innovation, and fragile nutritional richness.

The reason may lie in the path the vegan industry has chosen to grow by mirroring omnivorous consumption: burgers designed to mimic meat, cheeses that never ferment or an ever-expanding supply of dairy substitutes illustrate a strategy of assimilation rather than differentiation.

But what if this model isn’t misguided at all, and the real limitation of veganism lies not in food, but in the deeper cultural clashes it provokes?

A recent study published in Food Quality and Preference by the University of Vaasa (Finland) found that vegetarians can trigger negative emotions such as fear, envy, contempt, and anger among meat-eaters. Resistance, then, is not only nutritional or gastronomic, but deeply emotional and cultural.

Even the fine-dining scene reflects this tension. Eleven Madison Park, Daniel Humm’s 3-Michelin-starred restaurant, recently reintroduced animal-based dishes, not as a retreat, but as an expression of balance and cultural negotiation.

Could the rise of soft-vegetarianism be an opportunity to integrate a cultural richness far greater than mere replication?