Fine dining restaurants occupy a unique position within the culinary landscape, balancing the pursuit of gastronomic excellence with the imperative of sustainability, which has resulted in a broader transition in gastronomic paradigms, with implications for accountability, organizational practices and sustainability efforts. Fine dining restaurants grapple with organizational paradoxes as they strive for gastronomic innovation while addressing urgent sustainability concerns, particularly food waste. This paper offers a comprehensive analysis of the evolving gastronomic paradigm within fine dining, focusing on culinary innovation and sustainability in the context of shifting attitudes towards food waste. Drawing on a multi-methods research approach, including qualitative interviews and fieldwork visits, as well as an event history analysis of Michelin award history, this study explores tensions and opportunities at the organizational level. Findings underscore the need for fine dining restaurants to adopt holistic approaches to gastronomic innovation and sustainability. The study highlights the potential for theoretical and practical contributions in this field, including the development of frameworks for assessing sustainability initiatives and the implementation of best practices across the industry.