Verity Bowditch has announced that she will be stepping down from the day-to-day management of Clean Kitchen, a former vegan restaurant, after animal products were added to the menu.
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Bowditch, a regular cast member of Made in Chelsea, co-founded a London restaurant with YouTuber Mikey Pearce in 2020. Clean Kitchen, which serves healthier fast food like burgers and nuggets, was completely plant-based until this week.
In an Instagram post, Pearce and Bowditch explained that the restaurant will be adding animal products to its menu after a “tough, tough year.” The restaurant will “move away from a 100 percent plant-based menu to a more whole foods approach to cater to everyone,” Pearce said.
“I'm so passionate about animal welfare that I can't physically participate in anything that isn't completely plant-based,” Bowditch said of her decision to step down from her role. “I have to stay true to my values.”
business decisions
Pearce said the decision was made to protect jobs and businesses. The restaurant was initially very successful and in its first year he made a profit of £725,000. It also quickly expanded into catering for brands such as Under Armor. But the restaurant has been struggling in the last year, according to an Instagram post.
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The accompanying caption reads, “Clean is now releasing a menu focused on being healthier, fresher, and better.” “Of course, we will continue to support traditional plant-based options on our menus.”
After going completely plant-based, it's not the first restaurant to incorporate animal products on its menu. Nomas Gastrobar in Macclesfield, Cheshire, has been completely vegan since opening in 2021 and added meat and dairy to its menu in January.
Tribute to Bowditch
Many commenters on Clean Kitchen and Bowditch's Instagram posts praised her decision to step down. Her people expressed their admiration for her “sticking to” her “principles” and said they had “great respect” for her.
Bowditch was raised as a vegetarian and grew up surrounded by rescue animals. She transitioned to veganism as an adult.
While some people expressed support for Clean Kitchen's menu changes, many said they were disappointed with the decision. Some said they invested in the business during crowdfunding and wondered if they would get their money back now that the restaurant no longer aligns with their values.
