Plant-based dining grows to $16 billion by 2025. Fine dining vegan restaurants earn 35% higher margins than traditional establishments. Labor-intensive techniques (house-made nut cheeses) justify premium pricing. Food costs challenge operators - specialty ingredients remain 40% pricier than animal products. Instagram-worthy plating drives 60% of customer decisions. Many chefs now operate cloud kitchens to reduce overhead while testing concepts. Fermentation and local foraging become key differentiators in competitive markets.