To Mr. George Duran:
On behalf of the the culinary world, we hereby revoke your dodin bouffant; apron; and most of all, your right to call yourself a ‘chef’. You sir are an embarrassment to those in the culinary industry working hard to maintain and enhance a culture of food as one of the best parts of living.
Apparently, you are ConAgra’s celebrity chef spokesperson. We suppose every industrial food giant needs one, you may as well be the one to accept their money; but at what cost sir? So ConAgra and you hock over-processed “food” such as Chef Boyardee and Reddi-Wip. People have to get their nitrous oxide and disodium guanylate from someone, right? Since people are going to buy junk food, someone is going to sell it (although it is marketed pretty hard); either way, you may as well get your piece of the processed pie. Frankly, espousing food additive-filled cans of over processed junk is pretty sad for someone to claim a French culinary heritage as their education; let’s just hope no one at the ESCF finds out. The point here is that we can’t blame you for wanting to make money and it’s near impossible to do so in a kitchen.
What you are blamed for is your deceit in the face of obvious customer preference when it comes to wholesome or simply non-chemical-filled comestibles.
Jessica and I, along with other food bloggers, such as the Feisty Foodie, were invited to a secret restaurant, “Sotto Terra” (Italian for “underground”) by your public relations team. Like others who attended (as we learned later), we jumped through hoops to re-arrange our schedules to attend. Perhaps you have tons of time on your hands, we do not. We arrived in the West Village townhouse, which you charmingly (but obviously jokingly) claimed to be your own home; it was a beautiful, multi-million dollar space, beautifully decorated, filled with a lively crowd. We were happy to make your acquaintance and I traded some parenting advice with you about baby-led weaning; a food-oriented approach to introducing whole foods to babies. We wish you luck as a father to be and hope you will not feed your son the same ordure you fed us. Cayenne, our daughter, was with us and were grateful that the P.R. team on site were incredibly accommodating to her presence — that is what good P.R. teams do. What good P.R. teams do not do is lie to build attendance. Lying to media makes it that much harder for legitimate P.R. teams to achieve their goals. Build trust, not facades.
In a brief conversation with part of the P.R. team (they were from Ketchum), I inquired as to the timeline of Sotto Terra, “how long would it be open?” The answer: “two more days”. Any more reservations available? “No.” Weird. Why would they want us to visit and write about a restaurant that would see no benefit from the press? (hint #1)
After several minutes, your partner-in-crime Phil Lempert addressed the group and advised that we would not just be eating together but discussing our interests in food and this would be a sort of round-table. We headed to the dining room where again Phil — a sort of disingenuous, if not manipulative, fellow whose hobbies seem to include celeb-name-dropping and lying to strangers — suggested that we go around the table and introduce ourselves, mention our favorite food, and then describe what’s on our mind related to food. When one or two people before us mentioned “not enough time to cook” — you were both so excited I thought you were going to jump out of your skin. (hint #2)
When focus came to me, I spoke of disdain for the use of cellulose fiber (a.k.a. wood pulp) as a food processing agent, popular in fast foods like McDonald’s and over-processed foods like Eggo’s. A hot topic right now and TheStreet has a good article covering some details. Humorously we had discussed McDonald’s as one of the worst offenders and Lempert offered the tidbit that their breakfast sandwich is their biggest money maker, guess what: it is made from wood, big shock. When Jessica spoke, her hot topic was the use of artificial food coloring and other flavor agents. Also in many of these over-processed foods. It was jarring to hear you say something about how sometimes it’s necessary to use these chemicals to get “good food” to the supermarket. Lempert quickly moved on to the next guests. (hint #3)
As we ate the “cheesy garlic bread” I said aloud how incredibly salty it was. Jessica, her neighbor to the right, and the couple across from us all agreed. Another guest said it wasn’t garlicky enough. The cheese tasted cheap and like a lot of fat was added. Your exuberance extended our patience and we figured it was a minor fumble, we moved on. But then, the entrées came out. Generic-looking lasagna of the type I’d expect to find in my elementary school cafeteria. But whoa, where was my wife’s cube of the dish? Instead she received zucchini with a light tomato and shallot sauce with a side of cous cous. We asked why and they said “there might be food coloring” in the lasagna. Sojourn here a moment. We eat… a lot… at many places… around the world. We have never heard of anything like this. Why on Earth would a chef color an entree like lasagna? (hint #4)
It was a lucky thing Jessica mentioned her allergy to artificial food coloring as her topic of interest. Had she not, it would’ve been a fun night thanks to your fraudulent “food.”
I started to eat the so-called “lasagna”. After a few bites I was done. I said to Jessica that the sausage-kibble inside tasted like what you get at Domino’s and that the whole thing tasted like pizza hut. Fortunately she shared some of her zucchini with me, and later that night I had dinner at home. (hint #5)
An important take-away about this event, besides the use of chemicals in industrially processed foods, is the deceptive tactic used in “hidden camera” commercials. While we left early, we’re told that every one of the guests at our dinner declined to sign a waiver to appear in the commercial.
Having worked in film/TV I can tell you that it can take dozens of attempts to actually get enough people that say what you want and sign waivers.
Also, consider the circumstances. These guests are invited to sit with the hosts and are asked how the food was while one host is shouting “it’s my best dish”. How likely are most people to be completely honest, especially to insult their host to their face?
Honestly, we had a good idea of what was going on well before the lasagna. It was becoming clear: salesy-food-guy-Lempert + celebrity-chef + fake-restaurant = new product launch. You get this credit though: we were fooled into thinking you were launching a line of foods. That in reality you were pitching Marie Callendar’s frozen muck was beyond our imagination.
For others who may read this open letter and don’t already know, Marie Callendar’s is a chain of low-end restaurants out west. Recently many of those restaurants closed their doors mid-meal-service, kicking guests out, due to bankruptcy. We wish Sotto Terra was one of them! That chain also licensed their name to ConAgra to be used for frozen and shelf-stable foods. Thankfully you chose to give us lasagna and not the cheesy chicken and rice your company had to recall last year due to a salmonella outbreak.
So, let’s re-cap. I told you first hand of our focus on wholesome food, particularly with our baby in tow. We both said to you, with 20+ witnesses and apparently hidden cameras, how much we despise over-processed foods and artificial ingredients. We discussed with the group the sad state of chemical-filled foods and discussed various chains. And yet, you still fed me the exact thing I said I did not want to eat.
Whether a belief is grounded in religion or science or completely random, part of your job as a chef is to support it. This is not taste preference, such as putting ketchup on steak tartare, this is what one chooses to eat. Would you feed beef to a Hindu? Swine to someone kosher? Or, chicken to a vegan? I am none of those, but would never force them to do something against their belief.
Let’s consider a more personal hypothetical: George, how would you feel if invited to my home, fed chicken cordon bleu, and then afterwards informed that we had secretly stuffed the cavity with entrails of rats found in the street, cleansed using various chemicals from the utility closet, such as bleach (also food safe in small quantities).
Perhaps I’m not being clear enough: DO NOT FEED GUESTS FOOD THEY SAID THEY DO NOT WANT. It’s bad enough you feed that non-food to anyone, but you crossed the line.
Where is Anthony Bourdain when you need him? The night could have been saved had he come crashing in through the window, kicking your processed food product onto the floor, and then slapping you across the face with sanitary, latex cooking gloves.
In case you don’t already realize it, we are not the only ones upset. Read what MomConfessionals had to say.
To avoid ending on such a somber note for what is usually such a happy blog, here’s a parody of what happened for our regular readers that accurately summarizes this event:
Yours truly,
Lon
FoodMayhem.com
Other reactions to Sotto Terra:
Why Sotto Terra, “Underground” Event was an #EPICFAIL
Sotto Terra, PR Dinner that Made No Sense
The Sotto Terra Incident: Hoodwinked Too?
Chilly Reception in Multiple Courses at Sotto Terra for ConAgra
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Did the PR people even bother to read your blog? Talk about not knowing your audience. So disrespectful, i hope that even people who buy frozen meals will skip Marie Callendar’s and send the message that corporations should be responsible.
Geez Lon,
You seem bitter? I was at that dinner and from what I remember you actually said out loud that you LIKED the lasagna. Were you LYING too?
Chill out man, we had a great time. So we ate some frozen meals…big deal. Go munch on some sour grapes instead…
The sangria rocked though!
JC
John – Sorry, I’m not sure who you are; but apparently you’re not sure who I am either. I’m the one that took two bites of the lasagna and then it sat on my plate while I ate from my wife’s zucchini. Does that sound like someone who’d say they liked it? You’re right I’m upset, you read the post well enough to get that; but not well enough to digest why. You apparently don’t mind being lied to; we do. You apparently don’t mind eating processed food; we do. Try to think of it this way: is there any food you absolutely will not eat? How would you feel if they secretly fed it to you?
This whole post is shocking all the way through, but I’m most repulsed by the PR company that disguised the operation as a secret underground restaurant. It sounds as if you were invited as guests, but they treated you almost like guinea pigs. Thank goodness Jess spoke up about her food coloring allergy.
I know who you are Lon. I watched you and your wife and daughter being treated with respect by the staff. They set up a chair for your daughter and brought her things to eat. I was across from you. I even overheard some of your conversation with George and you seemed quite happy chatting up with him. No need to bash him. I can’t imagine you have to do things for your job that you’re not crazy about. Geez. I wasn’t crazy that this was a set up, but come on, it was just a silly PR stunt.
You enjoyed everything else on the menu, so that’s that. Move on and get over it.
John, I guess you’re not really reading the post. We said they treated us well…”grateful that the P.R. team on site were incredibly accommodating” and we were quite happy chatting with George before we realized what was going on.
You may have a lot of free time on your hands and don’t mind being roped into what was really an un-paid focus group and therefore just think of this as silly PR, but I assure you, you are in the minority. I’ve just learned that this incidence is being reported to PRSA. People are not taking it lightly.
I don’t know if you work with them or something because you’re just trying to put words into our mouths. Lon never said he “liked it” and the video will show that he left that entire thing minus the first two bites. Also, “enjoyed everything else on the menu”? Lon complained of how salty the cheesy garlic bread was and people chimed in. We didn’t like the meal enough to leave mid-way. Do you remember when we suddenly got up and left?
Hey Jessica & Lon! GREAT post, sometimes I wish I lived 3000 miles away rather than here in BC. But not often. We have a daughter who was
along with her husband running a 300 acre farm in Manitoba. They had a neighbor whose crop of rape seed got contaminated by air blown treated seed from one of the HUGE corporations similar to the one you mentioned.
This seed grew alongside their own planted seed, but the yellow rape seed cannot be told from whence it came! HE WAS SUED! And they won! His crop was destroyed, and they wanted monetary compensation also. It was still before the courts even now! Big bucks like to make even bigger bucks, selling crap!
Cheers, old Doug in BC
Wow guys! What an disgusting experience. Great post. Glad you have your blog to great the truth out.
What a blessing it was that Jessica mentioned her allergy to food dyes just in the nick of time. It was really strange to be led in a conversation about sustainable eating, making healthier food choices and then to be served a processed meal. I am completely shocked that not just the lasagna but the dessert had food coloring too. I almost don’t want to know anymore.
I have to admit, I did sign the release. Im such a typical Asian and as you said, I didn’t want to be disrespectful to our hosts. I felt like such a fool afterwards. My husband and guests did refuse to sign the release and I have asked to withdraw my release and will be getting my original back so I can shred it myself.
All in all, a huge lesson learned for me, to ask more questions. I do hope to see you both again soon and under better circumstances!
Oh, boy, oh, boy, am I glad we were too busy for this one! What a shameful thing to do. Better yet, what a stupid thing to do to food bloggers!
Pretty amazing experience. I will never stop being surprised on hearing about the arrogance of people/companies who think they can lie to people so transparently. They deserve to fail big time. Excellent post but I’m sorry you had to go through that.
What an amazing post. It’s always great, in a bittersweet way, to read about how large corporations are continuing to be sneaky in how they operate. From treatment of workers to, as seen in your horrible experience, taking advantage of people who just like to write about good food.
Thanks for sharing the experience.
Lon,
I am really irritated that anyone would accuse me of enjoying the meal, just because I ate what was in front of me. I am not a food blogger, I was a guest at this event. The food was terrible, but I was drinking and hungry. Sort of like hitting White Castle after a night of drinking. Though I think I White Castle Chef is more qualified than George Duran. This is my honest opinion about the Sotto Terra food experience. To begin, this bizarre and slightly unethical experiment was in no way a pleasant evening of shared dialogue regarding contrasting opinions of food. It was, however, an opportunity for ConAgra Foods and its subsidiary Marie Callenders to manipulate reactions and conversation all while diners were unknowingly video taped. The staged event was such that no well-mannered person would be able to be totally frank about the meal. Otherwise, both my guests and myself would have shared our honest opinion of the high sodium overcooked lasagna. Nevertheless, the experiment was not totally in vain, I now realize just how pathetic George Duran and Phil Lempert are. These two men redefine the meaning of a “sell out,” and any small amount of respect I ever had for them is totally lost. George was arrogant, awkward and frankly rude. From his opening point during our cocktail hour about how a waiter can get back at you by spitting in your food, to his pathetic “fishing” for compliments about a meal he did not even make. Phil Lempert was not much better; he manipulated all points of dialogue, never once allowing honest opinions of food to be shared. Instead he cut people off to make sure all remarks were not too taboo against our future frozen entree. Shame on these two gentlemen and CoAgra Food Corp. for allowing their potential customers to be manipulated in such a manner. Needless to say, Phil, George and any Con Agra foods are something I will encourage others to avoid.
Sincerely,
Sean
P.S. George Duran was a WPLJ comedic disc jockey personality, in 2002 he went to culinary school, probably when he realized he was not that funny. Only now, he is both unfunny and a terrible chef/corporate slime-bag.
Doug, Lon has read about that. What craziness!
Suzanne and Sean, I do think they were banking on that, knowing that people are generally too polite to say to hosts that the food tastes bad. I know I would have kept my mouth shut too had I tried it (thankfully I did not, saved by my food coloring allergy).
Jackie, Forchetta, Marcos, and Scott, thanks for your comments! I hope spreading the word will prevent this kind of thing in the future.
The story completely blew my mind that I had to read all the reactions to fully understand. It’s amazing what money can do to you. You know what it’s not really his fault as such. Society says that if you have money you ARE successful. Right? So he went for the money. I would say that 70% of people these days would probably do the same. Secure your future, buy a car and most importantly buy a house. I might do the same thing if it was thrown in my lap ?
Anyway, I love Everyones sincerity and thought the conversation was very interesting /)
When people say they’re “allergic to food coloring” they might as well say they are allergic to things that begin with “g.” Food coloring can be all kinds of things–even organic! I am sure your delicate systems survived this meal better than your egos.
Oz, I’d like to think most people wouldn’t but I don’t know…
DeJordy, to be more specific artificial food coloring. We’re not talking about carotenoids, etc.
This was an idiotic thing that they did, but your use of “sir” so frequently, and so ridiculously, is also silly and detracts from your point. Are you trying to channel Keith Olbermann?
I’m sure you have seen this already, but the New York Times mentions you and your blog in their article! I know that the circumstances suck, but it’s a mention in the NYT!
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/09/07/business/media/when-bloggers-dont-follow-the-script-to-conagras-chagrin.html?src=recg&pagewanted=all
There is a NY Times Article written on the backlash http://www.nytimes.com/2011/09/07/business/media/when-bloggers-dont-follow-the-script-to-conagras-chagrin.html?_r=2&src=recg
@Cat: “Sir” appears in the 1,600-word post twice, Cat, right at the beginning. That’s not “frequently.” Your browser has a find function. Learn it, use it, don’t say stupid things.
I can’t get past the fact that you brought a BABY to what you thought would be an exclusive gathering in a new, ultra-secret, high-scale restaurant. And you think THEY had no class.
Lighten up, Francis.
Seems a wee bit presumptuous of a food blogger to speak “on behalf of the culinary world” and summarily revoke kit you’re not actually entitled to award.
I totally agree. It seems almost criminal. Also, while we are going at Chefs for using their status to promote non-food, can we revoke Guy Fieri’s credentials for associating himself with T.G.I. Friday’s?
BTW Cat, your comments are petty and the most ridiculous thing on this page. Everyone has got to be a critic I guess 🙁
Slightly off topic, I apologize, but you’ve opened my eyes to the use of cellulose fiber. Not a surprise though. Are there any studies on the possible effects of consuming it long-term? Any pushes in the right direction for information on this would be great. Thanks!
You should have called the police and had everyone arrested.
Hopefully you can all sue for the horrible crimes they have put you all through.
Hopefully everyone will survive this and not contemplate taking ones life because of this unfortunate and unbelievable event that occured.
George Duran sucks. He already sucked before this happened. He has no legitimacy and is the worst TV Chef ever.
Melissa – A friend recently wrote to me with the same questions. I will try to write up a post organizing lots of info on this topic.
MTASC – You assume too much. In fact, the PR agency was quite clear that they wanted us to bring Caya, our baby, (who has been mentioned on the blog many times). They went so far as to offer to pay to have a baby-sitter on site at the event.
Ohhhhhhh hoooowwww will you go on???? Self–proclaimed random blogger “food expert” ate and liked frozen lazanga and is now butthurt. Boo farkin’ hoo.
The Consumerist has you idiots pegged.
I cannot begin to tell you all how totally fucking hysterical you are. What a bunch of simpering pussies. You clowns have absolutely no clue what real hardship is. Boy are most of you in for a BIG surprise. LOL!
well said. I, too, feel releived your wife said something about her allergy! Imagine the shit show they would find themselves in!
And Georgie boy is a sell out from Day 1. When he graduated from culinary school he was pissing people off left and right with his stupidity.
I’ll say what I said on another blog about this. I know this had to be embarrassing for you, but this really is a first world problem. There are people starving in other countries while you are so upset at being fed frozen lasagna. Give that to someone in Somolia, and they will bow at your feet. My guess is that most people were angry b/c they kind of liked it and felt humiliated that they liked something that isn’t terribly sophisticated or gourmet.
I really think that it is sad how people are making this out to be some horrible tragedy. This weekend, I saw a man jump to his death off a bridge and my child saw it and the messy after math as well. That was a horrifying tragedy. His family finding out what he did was a tragedy. All of the people who died in car accidents over Labor Day experienced horrific tragedies. Getting fed frozen lasagna instead of something made by a “real” chef is so tiny in the grand scheme of things.
I’m really not trying to be mean here. I am just asking you to put this into perspective and stop being so dramatic about it. It was one meal. It was one more meal than many people in America got that day. You could have easily have chosen to laugh it off; you still can.
I think I would be more upset about being lied to, personally, than the fact that they (you) were fed processed foods. I guess those Pizza Hut pasta commercials a few years back (where they had unsuspecting people eat pasta thinking it was some fancy-smancy stuff and then revealing it was just Pizza Hut) wore off on other people. There are things that I just would not eat, unless I was asked to try out a new recipe or something (through a close friend or acquaintanceship). But I would want it to be told to me up front. For example, I am not a fan of sea food, however good it might be. I do not eat it. BUT, if someone were to ask me to critique their dish and they were up front and said that there was sea food in it, I’d be okay with it versus eating some dish and then a giant shrimp popped up and said ‘Surprise! You ate me!’.
Up yours Liz. May all your meals be Marie Callender meals.
Hello Jessica, Isn’t it the responsibility of the guest to inform the host of any food allergies ahead of time? Thanks, Sean
Sean, yes and no….kind of a grey area. When I host, I always make it my responsibility to ask.
I guess I also consider a food coloring allergy a little different. It’s not an allergy to shrimp or nuts, something commonly used at every restaurant. It’s NOT food and should not be in food.
I used to always tell restaurants but any decent place seemed to find it insulting that I’d think they’d put artificial food coloring in the food. I no longer make it a point of saying if it’s a chef-made meal. I always ask when it comes to some random store I don’t know. Maybe I need to be more proactive again.
While not a tragedy of epic proportions, I think it is fine for bloggers to be upset…hey they need to write about something, and if I blogged and it happened to me, i would totally write about it. Yes it is sad that people are dying all over the world, but when you have a bad day…don’t you complain about it and not expect people to think you are the worst human being on the planet for complaining that your dry cleaner went bankrupt and left the country and your favorite dress you were going to wear to a wedding that weekend was left inside? You know, I would b*tch about that because it happened to me and I still have compassion and give money to hunger relief as I am sure Lon and Jessica do. What I want to know is when will Americans stop eating crap and be more discerning about what they consume. People in the US will eat just about anything and I am always amazed when I go to a crappy buffet and see people piling their plates high with stuff that tastes like garbage. Do they not have taste buds? If it were not all you can eat and included in their room price, would they dine there by choice? Instead of dieting on fake food and crazy low carb diets I think we need to start a diet trend of only eating real food and you know what? I bet people would loose weight. If instead of saying I can’t eat sugar or carbs or what ever if they said “I can’t eat processed junk”.
Looks like the Consumerist trolls have made it here too.
If you can’t tell the difference between a frozen dinner and a high-end culinary experience, you have no business food blogging.
The big lie served to call out your own failing as a foodie. The words glib and dilettante come to mind here. Is this why you’re so outraged over it?
Perhaps you should drop the faux outrage and learn from this experience. A little soul searching never hurt anyone.
Asong, thanks for commenting on what I just did not have the patience to comment on.
Wow just Wow, if you read more carefully, you’d know that no one was fooled. Everyone at the dinners could tell it was disgusting and people just didn’t want to be rude. It’s people like you that make it easy for PR companies to fool the public into believing whatever they want.
Momconfessionals seemed fooled based on her blog – but she also admitted to not being a foodie AND she drank a lot of alcohol for her that evening.
Everyone else seemed to have thought it was “okay” or considerably less than that.
What the trolls fail to realize is that the fake food served destroys not only the body mind and soul of the consumer who subsists on such garbage, but also the quantity and quality of the soil used to produce it. Once the Great American Famine begins it will be too late for them to regret their folly.
Hey there, I found you through the NYT article. Sorry these PR guys wasted your time like this, but the bad publicity now speaks for itself. Meanwhile, you’ve got yourself some trolls who are going around and copy-pasting the same snarky comments onto every blog criticizing this event. If I were you, I’d just delete them.
Well Jessica,
Since according to you, everyone thought it was disgusting and just didn’t want to be rude — That makes every one of those bloggers disingenuous liars right along with Con Agra. That is, if it’s a lie and not retroactively covering their ignorance.
If a chef can’t cook he needs to be told. Period. No one ever learned anything from being coddled. If they can’t take criticism, too bad for them. Especially when this guy was claiming to be opening a restaurant. Good grief. If some entrepreneur chef actually did that, you would morally owe them the truth. “Stop the venture. Save your investment capital.”
You were lied to over a stupid TV dinner. Big hairy deal. If that’s the biggest lie they’re ever told, they’re damn lucky.
Thanks Liz, I’m aware that many are trolls but I don’t have the time to sift through which ones so I’m leaving the comments. My readers are all smart enough to see who makes sense.
ex: clearly people know the difference between lying and being polite enough to not say you hate the food someone has just made for you…
you “el cheap “Os”really need to get a life !
You only went because it was a “FREE MEAL” and thats what you got.
You should be happy your not eating slop out of dumptser like 10% of unemployed Americans today.
It seems clear to me those who are critical of your post and reaction to the con by ConAgra are likely sock-puppets of those perpetrating this con.
What these people fail to understand is that the agricultural industrial food complex is literally making America sick. My eleven year old son just finished reading Michael Pollan’s book, “Omnivore’s Dilemma” (kids version), then took us on a tour of the local grocery story pointing out most of the “organic” product lines on the shelves that are actually owned by the same players like Kraft, CocaCola, and ConAgra. We who have made the choice not to eat their garbage do so because we do NOT want to support the industrialization of our food by companies from ConAgra to Monstanto. Besides, even though it is engineered to taste good with lots of sodium and sugar, it all universally taste awful when compared to real food.
Thank you very much for posting about this evening!
Fair enough 😀 I hope these people are just trying to be provocative, because if they actually believe what they’re saying, then I’ve just lost a little faith in mankind.
An open letter to all supposed food critic blogger:
Get over yourselves! It’s time to realize that you are just people with opinions like everyone else. You were invited to a free dinner and falsely assumed that it would be personally cooked by a chef invitee, you then got all bent out of shape when you realized that you got fed ordinary food. I guess you can’t tell the difference between home cooked and prepared foods like you thought you could. BOO HOO
“Thanks Liz, I’m aware that many are trolls but I don’t have the time to sift through which ones so I’m leaving the comments. My readers are all smart enough to see who makes sense.
ex: clearly people know the difference between lying and being polite enough to not say you hate the food someone has just made for you…”
As a food critic you are supposed to be honest! Are you a food critic or not?