[Vision2020] Food For Thought

[donald huskey]

Visionaries:

 

The current community discussion centered around the  serving of foie gras
(as supply allows) at Moscow's newest restaurant, West of Paris, offers a
splendid example of  the cultural divide between those within the Christ
Church covenant and those who stand apart from it.  The topic of a specific
controversy, i.e., slavery in the antebellum South, observance of city
ordinances, human rights, the separation of church and state, or serving
foie gras, is immaterial.  The ensuing drama is always the same.

 

Act One:   The Temperamental Chef

A representative or member of Christ Church acts or communicates in a way
guaranteed to garner a spirited response from the larger community.  

 

Act Two:   The Pot Is Stirred

The dramatic tension rises with the introduction of howls of religious
persecution, protests of righteousness, and claims of victimization on the
one hand; countered by appeals to well-documented history, the city code,
and respect for human rights on the other.  Gratuitous insults are exchanged
by all parties (this represents the comedic aspect of the play).

 

Act Three:  Gag Me With A Spoon

The denouement includes a public denunciation of opponents by all parties
and occasionally, intervention by government entities (generally interpreted
as an insufficient remedy by one side, or, a vivid example of divine
blessing and approval of the precipitating action or words by the other).
Unlike a well-crafted play, the audience is consequently denied a reasonable
resolution.  Instead,  a hardening of previously held positions, a
shouldering of additional grudges, and a strong premonition - given the
current cast - that within six months the production will again be on center
stage in Moscow.   

 

Throwing aside (only for a moment) the religious components that cloak any
Christ Church related topic, what reaction did Monsieur Foucachon expect
when he announced in an interview with the Daily Evergreen Newspaper

http://www.dailyevergreen.com/disp_story.php?storyId=18351  " his new
restaurant is just the opposite of what most Americans consider acceptable
meals.[instead] he wants to use the French "gastronomy" style of cooking to
show people how to truly enjoy dining again."

 

Were we, the dim-witted denizens of the Palouse, suppose to clap our dirty
paws together in anticipatory glee when a former Presbyterian minister from
Lyon, France promises to unlock the secrets of fine dining for us?   Once
again, the hubris of a Kirker trumps good manners, gracious humility, and
tellingly, by his own belittling words and know-it-all attitude, sabotages
his new business.  (A little FYI to Monsieur Foucachon, I don't know anyone
who raises their kids on corndogs and cotton candy much less anyone who
routinely relies on squat and gobble eateries for dinner. ) Thus ends Act
One.

 

In a private email to me, Monsieur Foucachon confirmed the accuracy of the
Daily News article by

Alexis Bacharach, Published: 08-23-2006 

 

"He wants local activists, who got their hands on an outdated menu earlier
this week, to know their threats of protest mean nothing to him or his
staff... ""This is a group that was looking for something to use against my
business and they found something," he said. "While I believe there are some
valid concerns here, I'm not going to stop serving what people want. I will
put foie gras on my menu again." 

 

The translation (for those who aren't familiar with Kirk speak) is this:
Speaking for myself and family, as is my divine right in a federal
household, I don't care who I offend especially if they are picking on me
for religious reasons. Furthermore, I will continue to offend those people
because even if there are ethical issues involved I can profit from the
transactions while enjoying the bonus of flipping off  pagans who are bound
for hell. My real friends, connoisseurs who gladly gulp great gobs of greasy
goose liver, applaud my moral courage and great business vision.    

 

West of Paris, sans foie gras was always a precarious venture.  Zume's
failure should have been a red flag to Mr. Foucachon.  Despite the
self-serving encouragement emanating from those who risked nothing, and
disregarding the unhappy institutional affiliation with New St. Andrews, an
expensive French restaurant with a pretentious menu is probably not going to
a successful venture in Moscow. While it is handy to have a cast of
thousands to blame, ultimately, the responsibility rests on Mr. Foucachon -
not on the folks who refuse to patronize West of Paris.

End of Act Two:  hold the applause please, this sad tale offers nothing to
clap about.

 

Act Three: Yet to be performed.

 

Finally, and in my view, most importantly, I must comment on the religious
aspect of this new Kirk related debacle.  I am offended beyond measure that
while children go to bed hungry on the Palouse,   single mothers or fathers
agonize over inadequate means with which to feed and care for their
families, elderly or disabled people choose between buying food or paying
rent, a former minister an avowed Christian puts his money and his efforts
into inaugurating an elitist restaurant where fat-assed, gluttonous,
bearded, bores swill expensive wine and lick their oily, pendulous chops in
anticipated of a cholesterol-laden feast. 

 

Francis Foucachon, I say to you in truth, re-think this venture.  Establish
a soup kitchen where your skills will be appreciated and respected.  Feed
the hungry for free and those of us with the resources to do so will gladly
pay for their soup, salad, and sandwiches as well as our own.  Use your
daughter's considerable skill in interior design to create a space of beauty
and peace that nourishes the soul as well as the eye of all diners.  Treat
those with the greatest needs with the greatest respect.  Create a testimony
with your life that truly glorifies God by serving those who are suffering,
hungry and vulnerable.    

 

Rose Huskey

 

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