Rant: Destroying A Chef's Reputation?

As I am an attorney (and despite the cliched jokes to the contrary), my ethics are very important to me. I have posted a Blogger Code Of Ethics and written numerous posts about ethical issues. I believe that all bloggers should follow a code of ethics as the power of the "pen" can be too easily abused. For example, negative reviews can adversely affect a business so one must be very careful in how one proceeds. One must be objective and fair, honest and upfront.

Rarely do I have an ethical dilemma as I simply follow my own rules, which have served me well for many years. However, I find myself now entangled in an ethical dilemma which has the power to destroy a person's reputation. I have long been pondering over how to properly handle this matter and have asked others for their opinions as well. I have finally made a decision on a course of action and only hope that what I am doing is right.

Because of my Monday Rants, I was approached by a line cook from a popular, Boston-area restaurant. He wanted to share with me some unsavory information concerning the chef and initially I was reluctant to talk with him about this matter. I had little interest in gossip about chefs, such as who they might be sleeping with or whether they do drugs or not. His information though struck at a more important issue, a deception the chef was perpetuating upon the general public, a lie about the sourcing of some of this restaurant's ingredients.

The restaurant has a reputation for serving primarily local foods, from their produce to their meats. The line cook alleged that the restaurant actually served very little meat that was purchased locally. Most of it came from large scale, out of state farms that cost far less than locally purchased meats. It appears that the chef has a close relative who works with one of those large scale meat suppliers and thus is able to acquire his meats more covertly.

This is an explosive allegation and I certainly would not have given it any credence without clear evidence. I met with the line cook and he had a cell phone video showing an incriminating conversation between the chef and his relative. It was not the best of quality, but the voices were clear enough and seemed to support the allegation. He lacked any further evidence and didn't think he could get anything else.

I was considering dropping the matter but decided I would interview the chef, and try to throw in a few questions about rumors concerning his meat sourcing. I arranged an interview through his PR company and met with the chef later one morning at his restaurant. The interview started off well until I started asking questions about his sourcing. My initial questions were rather innocent, without mentioning any rumors, yet the chef's attitude and demeanor changed. He seemed defensive even though there was no reason to be at that time. When I finally asked about the rumors, he ended the interview, leaving quite angrily.

It seemed to me that there was validity to the line cook's allegations. It seemed clear that the chef was trying to hide something. I did some further digging, identifying the chef's relative and his company. I phoned the relative and let me just say that I obtained verification that he delivered meat to the restaurant. With that verification, I contacted the chef again, though this time directly. I indicated I might be publishing this story and wanted to hear his side.

The call was extremely unpleasant, with lots of profanity and threats from the chef. However, the chef realized that he was in a corner, though refusing to admit guilt, and begged that I would not post the story. If I posted my story, it would probably destroy his reputation though he seemed guilty of the allegations. Should I post it or not?

In the end, the chef indicated that he would be leaving the restaurant within the next week, that he would likely be getting a job in another city. I indicated to him that if he quit and move, then I would not post the story. That deadline has passed though and there is no indication that the chef intends to move on. The chef has also not returned my subsequent phone calls or emails. This post is his final chance to do the right thing, to follow through on our agreement.

If nothing changes this week, then next Monday's Rant will identify the chef and restaurant, providing the evidence I possess. I received much support on both Facebook and Twitter for outing the chef if I possessed sufficient evidence of his deception. My outing will not be without repercussion, but I am willing to take on those consequences to expose this fraud. Once I identify the chef and restaurant, the restaurant owner will have the ability to verify this matter on their own. All they will have to do will be to analyze the invoices for the local meat producers and determine there was an insufficient amount  to have fed all of the restaurant's patrons.

Chef, step up and do the right thing or it will be my obligation to reveal the truth.

UPDATE: 
April Fools!!!
Every year, on April 1, I write an April Fools post, and this year is no different. I have no plans to out any chef, and have not received any info about a chef's deception concerning the source of their meat. With the advent of Social Media, it has become even more difficult to fool anyone because everyone talks about April Fools. Before SM, you could go the entire day without someone mentioning it. Now, you often can't go five minutes before someone mentions it. This post does strike at some very important issues and I appreciate all the thoughtful comments it has engendered. Though it has generated a few hateful comments as well. This is an issue that certainly could arise one day. But this time, it is only an April Fools joke.

International Boston Seafood Show: Status & Safety of Japanese Seafood

The main lesson is that Japanese seafood is safe to eat, and you need not have any fears of radiation.

Today at the IBSS, I attended a discussion: "Japanese Seafood for the Evolving American Palate." There were a number of panelists, each speaking on their particular area of expertise and one of the most important matters was addressed by Jiro Morishita, Counsellor of the Fisheries Agency of Japan. Morishita had two main points: 1) That there was a potential large market for Japanese seafood in the U.S. and, 2) That Japanese seafood was perfectly safe. Below, you can hear Maroshita's address and learn all that he had to say.

In a later post, I will likely discuss other aspects of this seminar, which dealt with different issues.

"Every day is a journey, and the journey itself is home."
--Matsuo Basho

Food Safety: The Importance of Orange Peels

It is estimated that the deadly bacteria Escherichia coli (E. coli) and Salmonella cause over 500,000 human deaths worldwide each year. In addition, these bacteria cause millions of others to be sick, some which require hospitalization. Were you aware that orange peels could be used to prevent some of these illnesses and deaths?

Proper cooking can greatly decrease the chances of bacterial infection. Those who live in hot and humid regions, which are more conducive to the growth of dangerous bacteria, have developed another method of combating bacteria: the use of spices. Spices can possess antibacterial abilities, thus making food safer, and that is a significant reason why people from those hotter regions use for more spices than those from colder climates. The most potent antibacterial spices are garlic, onion, allspice and oregano. Thyme, cinnamon, tarragon and cumin are also powerful, with capsicums (such as chilies and other hot peppers) being fairly effective as well.

Though I was aware of the powers of spice, the uses of orange peels had previously eluded me until I picked up the latest issue of Scientific American (February 2012) and read the brief article Peeling Away Microbes.  The article states: "A cow's rumen has an incredibly thick population of microbes, somewhere between 10 billion and 100 billion microbes per milliliter of its fluid. Escherichia coli and Salmonella are two, but they are found in relatively low levels, maybe one out of 10 million cells." Most efforts to reduce these dangerous pathogens occur after the cow has been slaughtered, but that is certainly not 100% effective. So, if these pathogens could be reduced before the cow is killed, their meat would be even safer.

In Florida and California, where orange juice is produced, orange peels are usually waste products, sold off cheaply to dairies as cows will eat them. As an unintended benefit, this practice may actually be making some of our beef supply safer. The U.S. Department of Agriculture has been conducting research in the use of citrus byproducts in reducing dangerous pathogens in cows. Orange peels contains d-limonene, a naturally occurring compound with antimicrobial properties, and some studies indicate that these peels can reduce dangerous microbes up to ten fold. That would be a significant reduction.

ARS microbiologist Todd R. Callaway, who has been involved in this research, has said: "While foodborne pathogens are found in the gut of food animals, non-antibiotic methods to reduce such pathogens in the live animal are important to improving food safety."  Obviously, there are not enough orange peels to feed all of the cows in our country so researchers are trying to develop citrus pellets which can be distributed across the country. The research is very hopeful and it could save lives.

So the next time you enjoy an orange, show some respect to it as an instrument of food safety.

Rant: Whose Responsibility Is Food Safety?

Have you ever had food poisoning? It can be extremely unpleasant, as well as very dangerous. As there are approximately 76 million cases of food-related illnesses each year in the U.S., chances are that you probably have been affected at some time. Though most of those cases are relatively minor, although you may feel rather miserable, some can be much more serious, with about 323,000 cases requiring hospitalization and 5200 leading to death. So food safety is a significant concern.

I recently read the new book The Philosophy of Food, edited by David Kaplan, a collection of philosophical essays on a wide range of food-related topics, from veganism to sustainability, from aquaculture to Slow Food. For any food writer, this collection will spawn numerous ideas for articles and I highly recommend it. For any food lover, these essays will spark much contemplation about these important issues.

I was especially intrigued by the article "The Ethics of Food Safety in the Twenty-First Century" by Jeffrey Burkhardt, a Professor of Agriculture & Natural Resource Ethics and Policy at the Institute of Food & Agricultural Sciences at the University of Florida. Burkhardt stated: "Although individuals and personal entities have a role to play in ensuring a safe and secure food system, governments are the primary agents to secure, or 'keep,' this public good." This is due, in large part, to the great complexity of the international food chain, where much of it is out of the hands of the average consumer. Most of the problems with food safety globally are associated with bacterial/viral contamination or spoilage but other hazards exist as well such as pesticides, industrial chemicals, and foreign material like waste.

This makes plenty of sense, but it also does not absolve the consumer from their responsibility toward food safety either. Especially considering that the U.S. government may not be doing enough to protect consumers from food illnesses. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulates about 80% of our food supply while the Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) is responsible for other 20%. One of the dangers we face is from imported foods, which is a significant portion of our food supply. For example, we import over 40% of our fruit, 15% of our vegetables, and 80% of fish & seafood. The average American diet includes about 18% of imported food.

The problem though is that the FDA inspects very little of this imported food. For example, in 2007, the FDA inspected only 1.3% of the food that it was regulates that was imported into our country. This percentage has actually been decreasing over time, down from 8% prior to the NAFTA and WTO agreements. If so little imported food is being inspected before reaching our tables, then the consumer must take on more of the burden of ensuring their own food safety. In addition, we should be demanding greater oversight from the FDA and other governmental agencies.

Now, meat can be a source of food illnesses, and gets much press, but plenty of other food products can be the culprit as well. The Center for Science in the Public Interest, a consumer advocacy group that tracks food safety issues, compiled a list of 10 foods, non-meats, that cause a significant amount of food illnesses. At the top of that list are leafy greens, which are responsible for 24% of all non-meat outbreaks. Tomatoes, sprouts and berries also were in the top ten. Eggs came in at second place while tuna occupied third place. Even ice cream made the list, in seventh place.

We should be advocating for the government to do more about food safety, but consumers also need to arm ourselves with the knowledge to address food safety issues on their own. There are plenty of sites where you can go for more information about food safety.  For instance, you can check out the blog by iPura, a food safety company. Some of their most informative articles include: 5 Things Every Consumer Should Know About Food Safety, Quick Food Safety Checklist For Grocery Shopping, Food Safety For Busy People - 5 Keys To Better Health, and Food Safety Myths & Facts - Arm Yourself With Truth. These are practical articles, which will help you make better decisions.

Many cases of food borne illnesses are preventable, if the proper precautions are taken in cleaning, storing and preparing your food. It is your obligation to understand your role in food safety, and do what needs to be done to protect yourself and your loved ones.