Oregon restaurant becomes one of the first U.S. restaurants to serve lab-grown salmon

In a culinary first for the United States, Kann, a critically acclaimed Haitian restaurant in Portland, Oregon, is now serving lab-grown salmon — a breakthrough in food technology that could signal a new era for sustainable seafood.

A first on American menus

Kann, led by James Beard Award-winning chef Gregory Gourdet, added cultivated salmon from San Francisco food-tech company Wildtype to its menu after the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) granted safety approval to the product last year.

Wildtype’s salmon, grown from fish cells rather than caught or farmed, became the first cell-cultured seafood to hit a U.S. restaurant plate when it debuted at Kann in May 2025. The salmon is designed to mimic the taste and texture of conventional Pacific salmon and is best served raw.

Why it matters to diners and sustainability

Unlike traditional wild-caught or farmed salmon, cultivated seafood is produced in controlled environments using salmon cells, potentially reducing pressure on overfished waters and cutting environmental impacts associated with conventional aquaculture. 

Wildtype’s achievement marks a significant regulatory and culinary milestone, paving the way for broader acceptance of cultivated proteins in mainstream dining.

Chef Gourdet has said the collaboration aligns with Kann’s commitment to innovative, thoughtful cuisine that resonates with diners who care about sustainability and ingredient quality. 

What’s next for cultivated seafood

Wildtype’s salmon isn’t exclusive to Kann for long; the company announced plans to expand availability to additional restaurants across the United States, including venues in California and other parts of the Pacific Northwest. (It’s not just salmon being made in the lab, either. Lab-grown meat and dairy are also in the works.)

While cost, production scale, and consumer acceptance remain challenges, lab-grown seafood on restaurant menus could soon move from novelty to norm as chefs continue to explore sustainable alternatives to traditional proteins.

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