Ethics in food and beverage service.

Hoteliers and restaurateurs often perceive their existance simply as one that is there to satisfy consumer wants or needs. That fact often creates an industry that cares only for profits without thinking of the longer term implications.  Food and drink is an important part of our business and we often do not consider the sustainability issues or the ethical aspects of serving a particular food item in our menus.  I have and will always argue that part of our responsibility is to also educate our customers.

An ominous symbol of our inability as an industry to chose  to educate our customers rather than comply with their demand for any product they wish for, is the Foie Gras.

I actually stopped eating the stuff many years ago when I realised how it is produced and decided that force feeding geese no matter how people “dress” it, is not something I would wish to my worst enemy let alone any animal.  Do not get me wrong! I LOVE the taste of the darned thing and I have to really be disciplined when I am at receptions or events and foie gras canapés are offered. 

So it was really great news to hear that in 2006 Edwardo Sousa's  who’s  family has been making pâté since 1812 won the Coup de Coeur award.  They claimed an ethical way of producing foie gras without force feeding .  I had kept an eye on the story and the news for more evidence that this claim could actually be true and the compelling story telling (in 2008) of  Dan Barbers visit to the farm cut through all the controversial stories that I had read before.  So here is the video, it is storytelling at its best, and I take Dan Barber’s word at face value as I consider him an independed observer of what a family’s ingenuity can do to change our perceptions, understanding and methods of food production and consumption.

watch:  Dan Barber's foie gras parable | Video on TED.com

Since 2008 there has been on and off news, with this ethical foie gras making it all the way to Australia, or been served to the President of the USA, but I have not read anything that suggests an industry  progress with more people following Sousa’s example.  Perhaps the mere fact that Sousa is ready to sacrifice some profits makes sustainable food innovators completely alien to both food production and food consumption industries who seem to have immediate profits as their only goal.

Still I am hopeful as there is some movement towards sustainable restaurants, sustainable contract catering  and sustainable hotels.  I just hope it is not just a trend but a realisation that ethics and  sustainability is not a choice but a necessity.