Vegetarian Tasting Menus: Revolution or Rip-Off?

[Robert Brown]

This morning the following story was on the Bloomberg Dweebsite:

 

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-08-29/how-haute-vegetables-are-conquering-500-tasting-menus.html

 

I wrote this e-mail to Ryan Sutton:

 

Dear Ryan Sutton,

 

I admit to not having been to any of the restaurants you mention, at least some of them recently. Without your quantifying the produce costs of such meals (beeswax may be expensive, but how many plates do you get from a pound) how do you know that the phenomenon you describe is not the latest manifestation in the on-going process of maximizing profits and getting by with less on the part of chef-restaurateurs while increasingly screwing over the diner in an increasing variety of insidious ways that exploit know-nothingness?

 

In one specific part of your article in regards to Alain Passard, it was the vegetables that were “good measure”, not the “homard au Vin Jaune” and the marvelous duck dish (whose preparation escapes me) he created, The restaurant can hardly be called one that is primarily vegetarian.

 

Best wishes,

 

Robert Brown

 

PS: I forgot to ask you how many vegetables does David Kinch use for his “gargouillou”?

 

[GordonCooks]

Given to the overall decline in the portion size of high quality proteins being served - this is the next marketable natural progression in a restaurant's bottom line desire to evolve.

[Wilfrid]

It's one way to go, certainly; the other way is serving proteins like neck and gizzard, formerly never seen on "regular" restaurant menus.

[Sneakeater]

Vegetables: the new offal.

[Lex]

"Rip-off?" Are all the grammarians on vacation this week?

[Robert Brown]

^{Because the grammarians are all on vacation, their troubles are all issuematic.}

[Lex]

I could have used your help last week.

[Wilfrid]

But Robert's usage is unimpeachable.

[GordonCooks]

It's one way to go, certainly; the other way is serving proteins like neck and gizzard, formerly never seen on "regular" restaurant menus.

 

Any protein can be elevated depending on how many unpaid interns are managing their aritisanal care.

 

...or foraging...like Portland Earthworms gently garnered from south west facing Willamette Valley Slopes of Alluvial terroir.

[Wilfrid]

I forage for beef shin and lamb neck in Chinatown supermarkets.

[Suzanne F]

 

It's one way to go, certainly; the other way is serving proteins like neck and gizzard, formerly never seen on "regular" restaurant menus.

 

Any protein can be elevated depending on how many unpaid interns are managing their aritisanal care.

 

...or foraging...like Portland Earthworms gently garnered from south west facing Willamette Valley Slopes of Alluvial terroir.

 

CIA demands that their interns get paid. Dunno about ICE.

[GordonCooks]

 

 

It's one way to go, certainly; the other way is serving proteins like neck and gizzard, formerly never seen on "regular" restaurant menus.

 

Any protein can be elevated depending on how many unpaid interns are managing their aritisanal care.

 

...or foraging...like Portland Earthworms gently garnered from south west facing Willamette Valley Slopes of Alluvial terroir.

 

CIA demands that their interns get paid. Dunno about ICE.

 

 

Correction: Stagiaires

[Suzanne F]