Two chefs and two very different views of foie gras
February 19th, 2010 by admin
Last week, New Times Broward-Palm Beach interviewed Chef Jamie Pruitt from Wild Olives restaurant in Boca Raton. When Chef Pruitt was asked, “If you came back in your next life as a food item, what would it be?”, his response was a surprise: “I’d like to come back as a duck. I think a lot of great things come from ducks, foie gras being one of them.” We wonder if Chef Pruitt is aware that birds raised for foie gras are force-fed enormous quantities of food through a long metal pipe several times a day? By the end of the force-feeding process, ducks are physically debilitated with livers five to ten times normal size and many are unable to stand or walk. Does he really want to be a duck on a foie gras farm? (Foie gras is not on the menu at Wild Olives.)
New Times also spoke to Micah Edelstein, executive chef at Miami’s Grass Restaurant and Lounge. When she was asked, “What food still confounds you?”, her answer was more informed: “I still want to know who thought it would be a good idea to cruelly overstuff a goose’s liver and make foie gras. The process repulses me and, actually, so does the item itself.” (The menu at Grass Restaurant has several vegan-friendly dishes!)
Is foie gras served at your favorite restaurant? Contact ARFF for help in convincing the restaurant to make a compassionate change.