Right to Create vs. Right to Know:
Hi everyone, just really want this blog to be totally motivational, but news is news. We received hundreds of e-mails asking about how we felt about the “HORSE MEAT” scandal, figured that we should address it head on…and explain how it intertwines in all our cooking fresh and natural concepts:
About twenty years ago, as was one of the few women chefs in the Chicago Area, I was lucky enough to be invited to a huge gathering of chefs in California. At this gathering, there was a presentation to chefs which asked the question, “As a chef, how would you feel about being able to order a case of tomatoes which could last over two months in your walk-in cooler?” As you can imagine, most of the chefs roared “YEAAAH!” To make a long story short, I wasn’t one of those cheering on the premise of tomatoes with infinite shelf life. I wanted to hear more before deciding. Everything comes with a price.
There were many explanations of how the new and amazing technologies created enabled us to keep such an old yet viable tomato. Of course, from a money making perspective, this sounds like a dream come true.
We do believe that there is amazing benefit in most of the technologies. In fact, in the future, we are told that the technologies can eliminate hunger in the world. That being said, I asked the question, “Is it marked so that the consumer can know if they would like to choose the technology inspired products or unaltered foods?” The answer was maybe. The laws continue to unfold year after year about “the right to know.”
Some items are marked right on the product, some are only marked on the case, and some more innovative companies will alert the customer of the difference. There has also been an effort to create lovely, sweet and innocent little symbols that will identify the various methods of altering.
This question is being brought up again and again. In the news this week: whether or not you are interested in eating horse meat. In many countries, the consumption of any foods available is not even an option. Of course, in our sophisticated society, we have issues with eating many of the animals we think of as pets like horses, dogs, cats. Yet we rarely hear complaints about using wild or aged horses for dog food. Some people have issues with eating deer meat, or any meat for that matter, a bientot (later on that subject)
As chefs, we have even received e-mails concerning the rights of the silkworm. I am continually being educated about such topics. We believe that everyone has their right to their own opinion.
So today to end our thoughts in a positive, our daily goal is to sort and sift through the mountains of information we receive, or shall we say…don’t receive.
We can try to be a little more educated on food every day, which can improve our purchasing, which will improve what our customers or family eats.
We think people have the right to their own opinion about the changes of our foods.
Most intelligent people should agree and fight for is the right to know.
The Other French Chef 