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Chef busted for first foie gras violation

Chicago's ban against the sale of foie gras has been in effect for just one week, and one chef has already been given a warning for a violation of the ban. Chef Rick Spiros, from the restaurant Block 44, served eight orders of foie gras on Friday night simply to use up several "leftover" pieces of the expensive stuff. The violation was discovered when an anonymous caller tipped off city officials, but Spiros says that it was a "one-time thing" - unless the injunction seeking to stop enforcement of the law takes effect and restaurants are permitted to serve the delicacy again.

If the restaurant receives a second violation, they will be forced to pay a fine.

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Filed Under: Chefs & Restaurants, Restaurants
Tags: ban, block 44, Block44, chicago, city, city officials, dinner, foie gras, FoieGras, food, healthy department, illinois, law, midwest cities, restaurant, restaurants, violation

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Reader comments (Page 1 of 1)

RblWthACoz

8-29-2006 @4:46PM RblWthACoz said... Oh my God. Foie gras? Throw that chef in prison! If only we cared as much about people as we (apparently) do about ducks...
Reply

Spoonman

8-29-2006 @3:40PM Spoonman said... Huh? How does banning a "delicacy" served only by/to the effete rich make a difference in anyone's lives, really? Are you saying that if this abomination were to be continued to be served people would stop starving on the streets? Or, are you suggesting that the time "wasted" in getting rid of this diseased concoction would be better served helping people? People have been starving/living on the street/doing poorly for a lot longer than people have been striving to get rid of diseased duck livers. It wouldn't have been changed if the effort had been redirected. At least now we've made the world a slightly better place. It ain't perfect, but there's no foie gras in one place, now we can do it elsewhere. Then we can work on puppy/kitten mills.

Look at it this way: are people, the only animal that would be sick enough to come up with such a disgusting abuse of their rank on the food chain, really worth putting that much time in to? It ain't just about the ducks, it's as much about the sickness of mind you have to have to want this.
Reply

alexi

8-29-2006 @3:58PM alexi said... @Spoonman
Why is it justifiable to discriminate and spread hatred against certain minorities (the rich in your comment) and not others? If Foie gras were a dish served primarily to African Americans, would you be as quick to post this article condemning the practice?
Incidentally, I think it takes a sick mind to prioritize a duck's life over a human's.
Reply

Chester

8-29-2006 @10:35PM Chester said... Quite Frankly, I totally understand the concept of both the making and eating of foie gras. It is a wonderful treat to have. at the same cost I understand what is done to the duck in order to create such a mouth watering meal. i truly think that the law should of had a grace period. to allow all who had in there stock to use it.

as for the 1st comment. i dont see it as a "diseased concoction" i feel that it is a controled force feed process. I have seen them feed the ducks. ANY unconfort in the duck is shown and could cause a violation and a shut down in the process which would cause a waste. Truthfully the ducks love the feeding.

as for the ban.... well we all know what happens when you try to stop people from doing what they want. if you dont remember go back in history and check out the proabition era. If your worried about the duck... then start eating cattle that has been fed natural feed and salmon that was not raised in areas that are close enough to shores where there are concerns of mercury poisoning. Or even vegatables or fruits that have been cross bred to produce larger and less prone to diease and bacteria. and when you find it let me know.
Reply

AaronBSam

9-01-2006 @2:43AM AaronBSam said... I happen to live in Chicago, and I have been following this entire foie gras pandemonium since it all started with a group of PETA members using shock video to incite a nearly unanimous vote on the ban, without presenting any facts. Just a shocking video of how they force-feed ducks and geese. They didn't even mention that ducks and geese overfeed themselves, feel no pain when being force-fed, and live very happy lives until they wind up on a plate.

Part 5 of my series of articles on the subject can be found at http://www.writingup.com/aaronbsam/chicago_vs_peta_the_first_offense and it contains links to the other 4 articles in the series. This ban is a travesty and mockery of our legal system in general.
Reply

5 Comments / 1 Pages

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