The BAFTAs go VEGAN! Stars to be served 'plant-based' quinoa salad, roasted butternut squash and tomato lasagne at awards banquet

• Dinner will take place on February 8 at Grosvenor House Hotel, London
• Planning for the feast for 1,950 attendees started in September 2014
• It kicks off with marmalade-based bourbon cocktail, the Marmahattan

By Anucyia Victor for MailOnline

Published: 09:14 EST, 6 February 2015 | Updated: 13:24 EST, 6 February 2015

Celebrities are well-known for their gruelling fitness regimes and healthy-eating lifestyles.

So it comes as little surprise that A-list events such as the BAFTAs will have various dietary whims to cater for.

In fact, organisers at this year’s awards dinner have revealed they will now be serving a vegan menu, for stars who are meat-free.

The 'plant-based' meal will feature a starter of quinoa salad with radishes, broad beans, asparagus, peas and a lemon and olive oil dressing.

Best leading actor Bafta nominees Benedict Cumberbatch for The Imitation Game and Eddie Redmayne for The Theory of Everything will be attending the awards dinner at Grosvenor House Hotel on February 8

The Bafta banquet table at London's Grosvenor House Hotel will seat eight people 

Next up will be a roasted butternut squash and sun-blushed tomato lasagne with wilted spinach, roasted pepper and sage as the main course.

Details of the dessert have not been revealed.

The menu also has bespoke gluten and dairy-free dishes for those on dietary restrictions.

The BAFTA dinner, which takes place on Sunday 8 February at the Grosvenor House Hotel in London was created by Grosvenor House's executive chef Nigel Boschetti and BAFTA head chef Anton Manganaro.

PETA director Mimi Bekhechi said: 'Interest in vegan eating is skyrocketing in the UK and beyond.

The BAFTA organisers have created a meat-free menu for vegan celebrities

‘With some of the world's best chefs, including Jamie Oliver and Wolfgang Puck, getting creative with cruelty-free cooking, we're sure that guests attending the BAFTAs are in for a treat.'

Karin Ridgers, founder of VeggieVision.tv, said: ‘It’s great that the BAFTAs are going vegan with so many celebrities now cutting out meat and dairy.

‘As more awareness is being created the celebrities know that they want the best and healthiest food choice so they can remain in the best shape, give the best performances and look amazing too.

‘A vegan diet is bursting with great fresh foods and provides everything our bodies need to thrive.

‘The menu sounds delicious, fresh vegetables packed with vitamins, quinoa and peas packed with protein and oils too. A low fat, no cholesterol energy-boosting choice that I feel will be chosen by many celebrities vegan or not,' she added. 

While vegans are tucking into meat-free delights, nominees including Benedict Cumberbatch, Eddie Redmayne, Jake Gyllenhaaal, and Reese Witherspoon are some of the guests who will be feasting on mouth-watering dishes including salmon and crab terrine and braised short rib at the event.

As well as quaffing their way through 200 magnums of Champagne and 1,200 bottles of wine, they will sip on specially-created bourbon cocktails crafted for this year's awards.

Scroll down for video 

The non-vegetarian starter of roasted and smoked salmon terrine with avocado and crab

The main course is a trio of beef; raised short rib, beef shin with a herb crust and beef fillet served with green beans, baby carrots and Dauphinoise potatoes

Created by Grosvenor House’s executive chef Nigel Boschetti and Bafta’s head chef Anton Manganaro, this years’ awards menu – which includes vegetarian options as well as bepoke vegan, gluten and dairy-free dishes for those on dietary restrictions – is a hearty affair, although the lack of carbohydrate options is obvious.

The dinner, which has been six months in planning, has been pulled together by a team of 25 chefs, who went through numerous tastings with Bafta executives before the final versions were approved.

And with 1,950 guests to feed, dinner preparations will start two days in advance as the 200 magnums of Champagne, 1,200 bottles of wine, 1 tonne of beef, 100kg of chocolate and elements for the 8,500 canapes arrive. 

The evening kicks off with a quartet of canapes, designed especially for the occasion, using fresh and seasonal British produce.

Guests will nibble on ham and onion breadsticks, rare Aberdeen Angus fillet, smoked salmon tartar and quails eggs with dill mayonnaise while sipping on the Bafta 2015 bourbon and orange marmalade-based Marmahattan cocktail. 

Canapes (from left to right): Quails eggs, Rare Aberdeen Angus roast beef, ham and onion breadsticks and smoked salmon tartar. The canapes are made using fresh and seasonal British produce

Guests will start their evening with bourbon and orange marmalade-based Marmahattan cocktail (left) and end with Bafta shaped chocolates and 90% chocolate mousse with a cocoa nib parfait (right)

The three-course feast, served at the Royal Opera House, kicks off with terrine of roasted and smoked salmon with avocado and crab for meat-eaters whilst vegetarians will tuck into smoked cheese arancini, celeriac and Granny Smith apple salad with a port wine glaze and walnut oil dressing.

For the main course there will be a trio of beef – braised short rib, beef shin with a herb crust and beef fillet – served with green beans, baby carrots and Dauphinoise potatoes.

The vegetarian main is a sweet roast potato, red onion and Taleggio tart, smoked garlic and chive butter sauce also served with green beans, baby carrots and Dauphinoise potatoes.

Dessert is a 90 per cent chocolate mousse with a cocoa nib parfait and chocolates shaped like the Bafta award. 

Head chef at The Grosvenor House Hotel,  Nigel Boschetti said: 'BAFTA night is that extra bit special because we know that some of the world's best actors and actresses are eating our food.

'We are however, catering for upwards of 2000 guests on a regular basis here in The Great Room at Grosvenor House,so in terms of preparation, we are very well-equipped to cope with the demands of this many covers that on the night. 

'The kitchen is remarkably calm!

'Our menu is showcasing the very best of British to represent the heritage of BAFTA and is something that took months of planning and menu tasting to get just right. I'm delighted with the end result.'

BAFTA CANAPE RECIPE: HAM AND ONION BREADSTICKS 

Ham and onion breadstick canapes 

Want to create your own BAFTA Film Awards canapes? Bafta’s head chef Anton Manganaro Anton has revealed the scaled-down recipe for his ham and onion breadsticks. 

Items you will need: 10 onion breadsticks; five slices of Monmouthshire beech smoked air dried ham; 50g apple chutney; celery cress

For crispy onion bread sticks: Lavoche dough; 75g flour; 20g of fried onions, dried then crushed to a powder; pinch salt; pinch sugar; 18ml milk; 10g whole egg; 10g butter melted

Method: Mix the dry ingredients on the machine on a slow speed. Then add the wet, then the butter last. Allow to rest then roll out on the pasta, machine to number 1. Cut into sticks ½ cm x 5cm rectangles. Bake at 180.c between two trays for 12 minutes until golden

For the apple and onion chutney: 500g apples; peeled, cored and chopped; 360kg onions (finely sliced; 90g Raisins; 20g Yellow mustard seeds; 100 ml Wine or cider vinegar; 90g chopped tomatoes; one teaspoon salt; 120g castor sugar; pinch cayenne pepper

Method: Put all ingredients in to a wide heavy based pan and bring to boil. Stir until the sugar has dissolved and simmer all together for 1 hour, until thick.

To construct: Wrap one half of the stick in the ham folding over the ends and pressing so they stick together. Pipe a small amount of the chutney on the other side and garnish with celery cress

Stephen Fry and Sam Claflin announce 2015 BAFTA nominees

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