On Facebook, Dave Andelman, of The Phantom Gourmet, is outspoken and controversial. He has also been generally unwilling to debate his points of view there, banning numerous individuals who have voiced an opinion different than his own. I am one of those persons that he banned on Facebook, because I dared argue with him. Though I left it alone for a time, I eventually decided to pursue it, to confront him once again.
Through a series of email exchanges, which began rather heated, we actually came to a consensus of sorts. In a positive step at the end, Dave agreed to participate in a public debate with me, concentrating on the issue of food trucks. Dave's opposition to food trucks is well known, and he feels very confident that he can back up his assertions. I am equally as confident that I can defeat Dave on this issue.
Though all of the details have not yet been settled, some matters have already been set. In deference to Dave, the location of the debate will be the Kowloon Restaurant. There will be a limited amount of tickets available to the public for this debate, though the price has not yet been set. The ticket price though will include a Chinese buffet, with all-you-can-eat chicken wings, and a portion of the proceeds will go to fighting sexism in the restaurant industry, a charity dear to Dave's heart.
The debate will be decided by three judges and Dave and I each get to select one judge, and then must agree on the choice of the third judge. I have not yet chosen my judge, though I have a few people on my list I will be asking soon, including a couple local food writers. As for our agreed judge, we are hoping to get the former Mayor Thomas Menino to participate. Dave has already chosen Ernie Boch, Jr. to be his judge.
The event will likely take place sometime near the end of May, and I will update my readers as soon as the details are confirmed.
Of course any debate requires some stakes, and we have agreed upon conditions to occur should either of us lose the debate. If I lose, I have agreed to make a substantial donation to Andelman's Restaurant & Business Alliance. If Dave loses, then the Phantom Gourmet must sponsor a special Food Truck event for all of their phans.
I look forward to this great, purple debate!
6 comments:
Good luck with this! For what its worth, I don't necessarily see 'controversy' in being pro or anti food truck. It is a matter of perspective. Some people view cities as abstract and artificial places to visit, rather like Disneyland. In their worldview, food trucks have no place because they spoil the illusion of a theme park. For those of us who are true urban dwellers, and actually LIVE in cities, food trucks are an essential part of the fabric of life in the city. Dynamic, vibrant, random.
Arguments that food trucks somehow detract from the business of traditional restaurants are not backed up by any evidence at all. I operate solely in an evidence based reality.
What press and/or recording presence will you have? Have you spoken with food truck owners to see if they'd even want to participate in a Phantom sponsored event?
Since when does Dave fight sexism in restaurants? We all remember his nonsense with Grill 23, right?
April fools?
I'm working on a parallel effort to create an industry trade group called Just Say No To Pimps. Its goal will be to promote the idea that advertising with the Phantom Gourmet might satisfy a temporary urge, but in the morning you will feel the deep shame of having consorted with streetwalkers and being bilked of your money.
Sorry Frederick & Drew, but this post was an April Fools' Prank. :)
I knew it!
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