NBSV 230: Michelin stars with zero animal products: Zizi Hattab's vegan revolution in Zürich
- Karina Inkster
- 3 days ago
- 2 min read
Zineb “Zizi” Hattab set out to open a restaurant, not make history. A month before signing the lease, the trained chef had a change of heart and decided her new venture, KLE, would be fully plant-based. Today KLE holds both a green and a red Michelin star, making it the first vegan restaurant in Switzerland to do so. Zizi has since opened two more concepts on the same Zurich street: DAR, inspired by her Moroccan and Spanish roots, and COR, a wine and pinchos bar.
In this episode, I speak with Zizi about the engineering background that led her to veganism, how her team builds trust with skeptical guests, and why she refuses to let go of dishes like traditional harira soup just because they're now plant-based. We dig into food and identity, the industry-driven stereotypes around vegan food, and the many traditional cuisines around the world that are plant-based by default. Zizi also shares a preview of her new cookbook, Vegan Vegan!, out in September.
Important topics we discussed:
>> Zizi's technical background led her to research the numbers on animal agriculture before opening KLE.
>> Zizi owns three vegan restaurants, with three distinct personalities, on the same street in Zürich.
>> Zizi's new cookbook, Vegan Vegan!, was born from guests saying they'd go vegan if they could eat like they do at here restaurants. It aims to bring restaurant-level flavour and technique into home cooking.
Connect with Zizi:
>> Zizi on Instagram
Order Zizi's new book:
>> Vegan Vegan!, coming out Fall 2026
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