Chef's Need to Beware of New Legislation That Will Protect Vegans and Vegetarians
Author of Vegan Cookbook says "It's important that chef's fully understand the implications of new EU legislation to avoid fines such as the US case relating to french fries contaminated with beef fat"
(PRWEB) July 13, 2005
Following McDonalds $10 Million pay out to Vegetarian and Vegan Groups in the USA, new European legislation on allergens and a Food Standards Agency investigation, UK chefs have been warned not to follow the example of Chefs such as Gordon Ramsay on vegetarian food.
"We want to help chef's be inspired by healthier foods and quality control, not see them battered into submission by Government and threats of compensation" Says Tony Bishop-Weston author of Vegan by Hamlyn
In a number of interviews UK Role Model Chef Gordon Ramsay has revealed what the ex Scottish footballer turned Michellin chef thinks of vegetarians. On his new official Website he's asked "What is your greatest fear?" He answers "Going bald and being in a room full of vegans".
During National Vegetarian Week on his new TV show Kitchen Nightmares (where he trains other chefs), Gordon Ramsay fed a parma ham pizza to an unsuspecting vegetarian. He boasted on air "hey lads I think we just converted one" and comforted the vegetarian reassuring him that he hadn't broken out in a rash and just to "keep taking the vegimite".
In another interview on Channel 4's Website Ramsay boasted how he had baked a vegetarian customer a lettuce in the oven with parmesan cheese (a cheese forbidden to be vegetarian by the Italian Government)
Catering Organisations are hoping to warn UK chefs before they fall foul of Trading Standards and trade descriptions law or are sued by a celebrity customer and follow McDonald's lead.
After the $10 million pay out to vegetarian, vegan and other groups such as Tufts University in Boston, Preventative Medicine Research Institute, North American Vegetarian Society, American Vegan Society and the Muslim Consumer Group for Food Products it seems more and more likely.
New legislation going through the European Parliament may soon make it illegal for restarateurs to fail to clearly label food with key allergens such as meat, fish, eggs and milk.
Meanwhile The UK Vegetarian Society is pushing an Early Day Motion in the UK Parliament to get a legal definition of 'vegetarian and vegan'in the UK Parliament following on from the Tony Banks MP motion.
The UK Food Standards Agency is drawing up industry guidelines for vegetarian and vegan labelling.
Gordon previously boasted in an interview for comic relief that he told a group of vegetarians that the soup was made with vegetable stock when it was chicken. This is already in breach of Trading Standards guidance "suitable for the use for which intended".
Veganism is becoming hugely popular around the world and even the BBC are featuring Vegan recipes 15 new vegan recipes from a new vegan cookbook by Hamlyn at www. BBC. co. uk/food (http://www. BBC. co. uk/food).
Food Service Trends
Aramark's 'Just 4U' food service programme divides menu choices into the following headings: Low Fat, Heart Healthy, Carb Counter, Cal Smart, Vegetarian, and Vegan.
In a survey of 100,000 US college students conducted by Aramark, 24% said vegan dishes were important to them, while 18% wanted low-carb dishes on the menu."
Gordon Ramsay Official Kitchen Heaven Site
Http://www. penguin. co. uk/static/cs/uk/0/minisites/gordonramsay/qa. html (http://www. penguin. co. uk/static/cs/uk/0/minisites/gordonramsay/qa. html)
Vegetarian Early Day Motion by Norman Baker MP
Http://edmi. parliament. uk/EDMi/EDMDetails. aspx? EDMID=28341 (http://edmi. parliament. uk/EDMi/EDMDetails. aspx? EDMID=28341)
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