- The first lab-grown chicken has been served in the US at Bar Crenn in San Francisco.
- Upside Foods partnered with the Michelin-starred restaurant to serve the cultivated chicken.
- Upside Foods and Just Meat recently received regulatory approval to sell lab-grown chicken.
Lab-grown chicken produced entirely from animal cells was served for the first time in the US at a San Francisco restaurant on Saturday.
Upside Foods and Good Meat both recently received approval from the Food and Drug Administration that deemed their cultivated chicken safe to eat, and approval from the US Department of Agriculture that meant their products could go on sale.
Winners of a social media contest were the first diners to try the cultivated chicken at Bar Crenn, the companies announced.
The chicken was fried in a tempura batter, and served with a burnt chili aioli and other greens and edible flowers – served in a black ceramic dish.
"It represents a giant leap towards a world where people no longer have to choose between the foods they love and a thriving planet," said Dr. Uma Valeti, CEO and founder of Upside. "I can't wait for more people to get their first bite – it's a magical moment that inspires an exciting world of new possibilities."
Upside Foods and Good Meat are among the many companies working to bring lab-grown, "slaughter-free" meat and other foods to market, with support from influential figures like Bill Gates.
They want to reduce the environmental impact of the meat industry and give another option to those who don't eat meat due to ethical concerns over the treatment and killing of animals.
While the lab-grown meat is not technically vegetarian or vegan because it is still made from cells of living animals, it could help address some ethical concerns.
Dominique Crenn, a Michelin-starred chef, stopped offering meat dishes at her restaurant several years ago over animal welfare concerns.
"It's the first time meat has made it back on my menu since 2018, because Upside chicken is the first meat that I feel good about serving," Crenn said. She called Upside a "significant step towards a more sustainable and compassionate food system."
The cultivated chicken has not yet made it on to Bar Crenn's regular menu, but will be a part of other monthly events this year, Upside and Crenn said.
Experts say it'll be some time before mass-production of lab-grown meat is possible.
Good Meat is also set to bring its cultivated chicken to customers this year at China Chilcano restaurant in Washington, DC, according to CNN.