Osheaga's karma police expect ecofriendly catering

Evidence of the changing face of rock and roll is everywhere in theVIPfood tentat Montreal's Osheaga Music and Arts Festival.

Riders once replete with high-maintenance requests for mauve M&Ms and six-packs of new tube socks are now dominated by demands that everythingbeethically sourcedand recyclable.

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Nothing shows the shift more than with headliners Red Hot Chilli Peppers who in the 1990swould challenge each other to eat the most disgusting dinner food they could find, according to the AnthonyKiedis'biographyScar Tissue. Now, they are leading the push for a more sustainable backstage experience.

"Radiohead and the Red Hot Chilli Peppers, their requests are strictly ecological," says celebrity chef Chuck Hughes, who together with Danny Smiles, heads Osheaga'scatering operation.

Now in his seventh year, Hughes said such concerns have been top of mind in the planning of this year's dining area.

"This year's theme is low [ecological] footprint," Hughes said.

The decor features wood recycled from delivery pallets, repurposed shipping containersand flower pots fashioned from tins of tomatoes.

"Our mandate is to make this a unique experience."

Hughes said the food selection this year offers something for every diet and taste.

Thai, Italian, smokehouse BBQ, vegan, salads, raw foods, pizza, deli hamburgers and poutine, fresh-pressed juices and evendonuts made on the spot are being offered.Hughes has anarmy of 40 chefs to serve about2,000 to 2,500 plates of food a day.

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So what kind of food does the world's rockelite prefer? Are the decadent days of Elvis and his friedpeanut butter sandwiches really a thing of the past?

"The salad bar is the most popular section," Hughes said.