Inside the Met Gala Menu: Five Foods Anna Wintour Keeps Off the Table

The 2026 Met Gala takes place this evening with the theme "Costume Art," and while guests prepare for fashion's most prestigious night, there's more to consider than just the outfit. The menu comes with notable restrictions—five foods and ingredients that won't make an appearance at the table.

Vogue's editor-in-chief Anna Wintour has long curated the culinary experience alongside the visual one. The "Costume Art" exhibition, organized by Andrew Bolton, explores the connection between clothing and the human form through various thematic presentations including the Naked Body, Pregnant Body, and Aging Body. The show features pieces from The Met's extensive collection and marks the inaugural event held in the Condé M. Nast Galleries, a newly constructed 12,000-square-foot space adjacent to the Great Hall.

When it comes to what lands on plates, Wintour has made her preferences clear. During an appearance on the Today show, Jenna Bush Hager directly asked about the restrictions. "Is it true that you have banned chives, onions and garlic off the menu?" she inquired.

"Those are three things I'm not particularly fond of. So yes, that's true," Wintour confirmed.

Beyond those three aromatics, insiders have revealed two additional items stay off the menu. Parsley is excluded because, as one source explained to the New York Post, "you don't want that stuck in your teeth." Bruschetta also makes the banned list, with the reasoning that "it can fall easily on your gown"—a practical consideration when guests are wearing haute couture worth thousands of dollars.

The Met Gala, held annually on the first Monday in May, continues to be an event where every detail, from the red carpet to the dinner table, receives meticulous attention.