'Cove' Filmmakers Bring Down CA Sushi Restaurant

by Nicki Gostin, Posted Mar 10th 2010 @ 2:00PM

If you watched the Oscars on Sunday night, then you'll know that the The Cove won for Best Documentary for its unflinching expose of the Japanese coastal town of Taiji, where fishermen hunt and slaughter dolphins.

But the makers of the film have not finished uncovering marine abuse. According to the New York Times, the filmmakers (who include actor Fisher Stevens) initiated a sting operation on a Los Angeles restaurant (ironically called "The Hump") after hearing from friends that whale was on its menu.

Associate producer Charles Hambleton sent two activists who posed as diners and ordered an omakase meal. (Omakase basically means "chef's choice" and you allow the chef to select what food he will be serving you. It's a special meal and usually costs more, as the quality is expected to be the best.)

Sure enough, the waitress served the activists a dish described as "whale." (The terminology was confirmed by a marine mammal professor.) One of the diners was Crystal Galbraith; she told Slashfood she participated in all the sting operations. "Before I went I had Googled images of whale meat so I knew what it would look like, but it was still pretty shocking to be served it," she confessed.

Last week the filmmakers and federal agents returned to the restaurant and were once again served whale meat, which is illegal in the U.S. Stiff fines of up to $20,000 and a year in jail are possible punishments.

"We were happy to get the feds involved so it was official and something could be done," says Galbraith. She also says that she has heard of two other restaurants in Los Angeles also serving illegal sushi.

The Cove is now available on DVD.

Related: The Cove Filmmakers Bust Restaurant for Serving Whale [Grub Street]

Filed Under: Television/Film, Restaurants
Tags: the cove, the cove best documentary, the cove the hump, whale meat

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Reader comments (Page 3 of 3)

3-12-2010 @5:56AM Right? said... Actually it does raise an interesting question, who and what is the criteria that determines what is acceptible to eat? Why is one animal ok and the other not? Everything we eat was at one time living? It certainly isn't the same throughout the world, so there are really no standards. Dogs, Monkeys, Lizards, Insects, and many other examples are acceptible table fare in some countries. This doesn't include the act of cannibalism, which has been acceptible in some cultures.
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3-12-2010 @6:01AM scottsedlazek said... The image that comes to mind when I think of a person eating whale blubber is of those sailors who once hunted whale for their oil over 100 years ago, and how much they hated having to eat whale meat. Because of that image, the thought of eating whale blubeer and meat has always turned My stomach. I do not think that I shall ever order a chefs' special.

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3-12-2010 @7:24AM Rick said... It's the "OTHER" "RED MEAT!"
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3-12-2010 @9:42AM Maria said... I'm kinda disappointed by this aritcle..lol Judging by the headline on AOLs homepage, I was thinking there was like, cocaine or meth or something on the menu. lol
And why can't I post comments 99% of the time?? I usually have something relevent and decent to say.. 'cept this one. hee
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3-12-2010 @10:08AM Joyce Buckley said... This is about going far out of the way to offer up an endangered species. You shock-eaters should shut your faces and eat your dog.
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3-12-2010 @6:29PM Teacher said... Eating dog?! Disgusting!
Now, eating cat-- wink, wink- nudge, nudge.
A hole different story.
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3-12-2010 @5:39PM mark turner said... I prefer Meow Goo Gai Pan...
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3-22-2010 @11:31AM PAT said... I HATE IT WHEN THE CREW COMES OVER AND SINGS ON A B IRTHDAY. IT IS EMBARRASSIING. AND I HAVE NOT GONE ON ACCOUNT OF THIS MANY TIMES. I THINK A SINGLE CANDLE AND A PIECE OF CAKE IS GOOD,,,,,"TO GO"
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