Hollywood’s Golden Globes Awards show is serving a meatless menu to ‘save the planet'

This year's 77th annual Golden Globes Awards show will feature a meatless menu due to concerns over climate change, the Associated Press reported.

The move aims to 'save the planet'

The Hollywood Foreign Press Association, which conducts the annual awards show, said its aim is to draw attention to the global climate crisis and how food production, consumption, and waste contribute to the problem.

"If there's a way we can, not change the world, but save the planet, maybe we can get the Golden Globes to send a signal and draw attention to the issue about climate change," HFPA president Lorenzo Soria said. "The food we eat, the way we grow the food we eat, the way we dispose of the food is one of the large contributors to the climate crisis."

The decision to opt for a meatless menu evidently came just two weeks before the event at The Beverly Hilton in Beverly Hills, California, and after an original menu had already been decided on.

Matthew Morgan, executive chef of The Beverly Hilton, admitted that he was initially surprised by the request for a menu change, but that he believes the meatless meal will issue a positive message to viewers and attendees.

"It was a little shocking when first mentioned, because of being very close to the actual Globes and having already decided on a menu," he said. "But once we thought about it and the message that it sent, we were really excited about it. That's something I stand behind myself."

"People were basically saying it's too late, we're ready with all the orders, the holidays and all that," Soria acknowledged. "But after we began discussions, meeting for one or two days, [the hotel] accepted the change completely."

What's on the menu?

Those in attendance will be served a 100% plant-based meal including king oyster mushrooms scallops and wild mushroom risotto, along with roasted baby purple and green Brussels sprouts and carrots. For an appetizer, guests will enjoy a chilled golden beet soup.

The HFPA has also partnered with Icelandic Glacial, a sustainably sourced natural spring water, to service the event. The naturally alkaline water will be served in glass bottles to eliminate plastic waste, the AP reported.

After a recent taste-testing, Soria called the food "excellent."

Morgan noted that the menu change wasn't too difficult, since the first course was already vegan and the original main course had been a "vegan alternate."

The three-hour show, hosted by Ricky Gervais, will air live on NBC at 8 p.m. EST Sunday.