From Urban Diner…
Urban Diner welcomes SIP resto-lounge to the growing UD community of restaurants.
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Archive for April, 2008
From Urban Diner…
Urban Diner is happy to welcome Chutney Villa, the newest member of the UD community.
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Wild Salmon Debate
| How Badly Do You Want Salmon? | ||
Fiona Morrow has a story up in the Globe today about Vancouver restaurateurs struggling with the decision to continue serving wild BC salmon at a time when the future of our wild stocks appear to be in real jeopardy. As I wrote in a previous post (and as Morrow notes in her piece), Bishop’s and the Cactus Club have moved past the debate by taking independent action (applause). Whether or not you agree with them removing wild salmon from their menus in favour of land-based farms, I doubt they will be the last to do so in the coming year.
Loading ...Regardless, I’m glad people are talking. The CBC and a duo of local journalists (who seemed to be writing the same story) called me this morning and this afternoon, and though I’m not a scientist or a particularly learned fellow on the multi-faceted questions of sustainability, I laid out my own unapologetically juvenile argument, maintaining that our chefs might be more effective in bringing about real change and/or a greater sense of public awareness on the issue than the more traditional actors in this tragedy, be they environmental groups, the DFO, fish farmers, marine biologists, lobbyists, and so on. There are too many mixed messages in this debate. All we have is a big, sucking morass of ambiguity with a few angry words on top.
My point is that chefs, whether they are aware of it or not, are in unique positions of leadership. They can make a difference. And they have made a difference in the past. Whether it’s foie gras (a contradictory question of carnivorous ethics), Chilean Sea Bass (a species severely over-fished and pirated), or wild BC salmon (a cornerstone of our cultural heritage facing a range of clear and present dangers), our chefs can speak directly to tens of thousands of British Columbians every day by virtue of the choices they make.
Food for thought. No?
Service Industry Golf
I very happily accepted an invitation to play a round at the University Golf Course on Monday to support the BC Hospitality Foundation. The BCHF Golf Classic saw $70,000 added to the coffers, and a great time was had by all.
The foundation offers financial assistance to people who work in food, beverage and hospitality professions at a critical time of need. Take a look at their website here to see how you can get involved with your support. To my foursome, thanks for your patience (I shot a 99, which is really a 66 only upside down), and thank you to M. Dawn Donahue for the opportunity to embarrass myself. Always appreciated.
PS. Terry David Mulligan has such a perfect name for golf (he emceed and was playing in the group ahead of us). If he was any slower he’d be a tree. ;-)
Soundtrack No.77
Vampire Weekend
The Kids Don’t Stand A Chance
A great track from the best band I’ve never heard of. The whole album (entitled “Vampire Weekend”) is totally without fault. I like those southern African guitar licks wit dem reggae beats. It’s what we’d get if Elvis Costello and Miriam Makeba fathered Ziggy Marley in Cape Cod.
