Keke Palmer sparked Internet memes when she posted a photo of her wilted salad as part of her 3-course meal at the $30,000-$50,000 per ticket Met Gala, held on Monday night in NYC.
The actress captioned the image: “This is why they don’t show y’all the food. I’m just playing.”
According to TMZ, Chef Marcus Samuelsson defended allegations that the food was unpalatable at the high society event.
Marcus — who helped select the 10 aspiring chefs to feed the hungry A-listers – was dismayed that Keke criticized the food served at the $30K-$50K per ticket gala.
Marcus — the head chef of Red Rooster in Harlem, created the totally meatless menu at the gala. He tells TMZ, yes, Keke’s picture is in fact a sample of the food served at the ultra exclusive event.
Marcus described the unrecognizable food on Keke’s plate as barley topped with roasted maitake mushrooms, tomato salad with corn and zucchini slices.
Marcus said — despite Keke’s criticism — the 3-course vegan meal was delicious and the feedback he got from other guests has been incredible.
Marcus, in collaboration with Bon Appétit, hired and then challenged 10 aspiring NY chefs to create a “sustainable, plant-based menu” with all the bells and whistles – hence all the fruits and veggies.
However, Keke’s pic, which consisted of the entree, had everyone talking about how unappetizing the food looked.
One person wrote, “This was clearly a ‘eat before you get there’ type of thing.”
Another person wrote, “They feeding y’all like it’s Fyre Festival.”
In addition to a fresh salad, Keke dined on appetizers, including 6 hor d’oeuvres, a watermelon pumpkin salad, Spanish-style tomato toast rubbed with garlic and anchovy oil, followed by collard greens served on coconut buttermilk cornbread, black rice porcini arancini and smoked yuzu soy on a single panipuri cracker.
Dessert included an apple topped with chocolate mousse and apple confit with a calvados eau-de-vie glaze.
