The Met Gala is known for its jaw-dropping fashion and A-list guest list, but what many don’t realize is that the rules go far beyond the red carpet. Even the menu is carefully controlled. And yes, there’s actually a blacklist of foods that won’t make it anywhere near the event.
Anna Wintour Bans Garlic, Onions And Chives From Met Gala Menu To Keep Things ‘Low-Risk’
According to past reports, Anna Wintour has banned three specific ingredients from being served at the Met Gala: chives, onions, and garlic.
The reasoning is surprisingly simple, and very on-brand for fashion’s most exclusive night. All three are known for causing bad breath, something that’s less than ideal when you’re sitting inches away from celebrities, designers, and industry power players all evening. But there’s also a personal touch behind the decision. “Well, those are three things I’m not particularly fond of,” Wintour previously said.
The Met Gala isn’t just a dinner. It’s a highly curated experience where every detail is considered, including what guests eat. With couture gowns, tailored suits, and millions of dollars’ worth of fashion in one room, the last thing anyone wants is a messy dish, a lingering smell, or a wardrobe disaster. That’s why menus are designed to be clean, elegant, and low-risk, ensuring guests can mingle comfortably without worrying about spills or strong odors.
Wintour’s Strict Met Gala Rule Aims To Keep The Night Offline
The food rules go hand-in-hand with another strict policy: no phones inside the gala. Wintour has long enforced the rule to encourage real interaction over social media moments. “It’s often wonderful to hear, after dinner, people say, ‘Oh we had the most wonderful conversations,’” she explained. “So that’s the idea, that life can exist without a picture on your cell phone.” Of course, that hasn’t stopped the occasional rule-breaker, with bathroom selfies becoming a rebellious Met Gala tradition, but the intention remains the same.
Because of the no-phone policy, fans only get a glimpse of the night through official photos and red carpet coverage. That means everything from the menu to the conversations remains largely behind closed doors, adding to the mystery and exclusivity of the event.
For the 2025 Met Gala, the food was just as carefully curated as the couture on the carpet. Kwame Onwuachi, a James Beard Award–winning chef, was tapped to design the menu, bringing a deeply personal and cultural approach to the night’s dining experience.
“I was inspired by Black dandyism and the Black experience in fashion. It’s pulled from so many different avenues and routes of the diaspora,” he told Vogue at the time. “I wanted to encapsulate all of that, from the hors d’oeuvres to plated dinner at the gala.”
Still, he kept one key goal in mind: “We can be poetic as we want, but it has to be good at the end of the day.”
During cocktail hour, guests were treated to elevated takes on comfort food, with servers passing around bites like hoecakes with crispy chicken, mini chopped cheeses, cornbread topped with caviar, and curry chicken patties, a nod to Onwuachi’s signature dishes.
The 2025 Met Gala menu continued to impress with a lineup that celebrated flavors from across the diaspora. The first course featured a papaya piri-piri salad, highlighting the bold South African spice, paired with cucumbers coated in a vibrant Caribbean green-seasoning marinade.
For the main course, guests were served Creole roasted chicken with lemon emulsion, alongside rice and peas and a fresh hot sauce that brought an extra kick. Sides included BBQ collard greens with bacon and cornbread topped with honey-curry butter, blending comfort food with elevated presentation.
Dessert was just as memorable, with a Bodega Special Cosmic Brownie paired with powdered-sugar-donut mousse, as well as a golden cake served with honey sweet cream and blistered gooseberry. “All throughout the meal, there are different aspects of Blackness throughout the world represented at the highest level,” he said.
As for the Met Gala 2026, the official menu remains under wraps, but if history is any indication, it won’t disappoint. With each year bringing a carefully curated dining experience that reflects the theme, fans can expect a menu that’s just as thoughtful and artistic as the looks on the carpet.
And of course, with Anna Wintour still calling the shots, one thing is guaranteed: it’ll be elegant, intentional, and yes, completely free of garlic, onions, and chives.
