Animal rights protesters target new restaurant over foie gras
Animal rights protesters have been targeting a new restaurant in Bath for serving foie gras.
Members of the Bath Activist Network (BAN) gathered outside the Minibar on John Street to try to persuade the venue to remove the delicacy from the menu.
Owner Hein van Vorstenbosch is currently serving a foie gras creme brulee, which he says is very popular with customers.
The duck liver pate is produced by force-feeding ducks or geese large amounts of food so their livers swell to up to 10 times their normal size.
A spokesman for BAN said: "We held a protest outside Minibar because we found out they were serving foie gras.
"Over the years we have held peaceful protests outside other restaurants in the city, and as a result it was taken off the menu.
"We would urge Minibar to do the same. Ducks are needlessly tortured to make it. We will carry on until the city is foie gras free."
But Mr van Vorstenbosch said he had no immediate plans to discontinue serving the dish.
He said: "We serve a stunning foie gras creme brulee and the customers just adore it. It has created quite a following.
"The ironic thing is we are selling more foie gras than ever. However, we do need to review our position.
"We don't want to offend anyone but customers should have their say.
"I don't think a group of vegans should be telling people what to eat.
"We live in a free country and people have the right to protest but there needs to be a balance."
The 35-year-old chef, who previously ran the kitchen at actress Jane Seymour's mansion, said there was a lot of misinformation about foie gras production.
"There is a lot of rubbish about foie gras out there," he said.
"There is a lot of bad production of any kind of food.
"People think the rest of the duck is wasted, but the vast percentage of duck eaten in this city will be a product of foie gras production."
The foie gras served at the Minibar is imported from France.
Earlier this year BAN held a protest outside Beaujolais in Chapel Row.
The restaurant subsequently removed the product from the menu.
4 Comments
by Vigilante Gran, Bath
Friday, October 03 2008, 5:54PM
“Well said Nicola, I'm with you all the way.”
by Nicola, Bath
Friday, October 03 2008, 5:21PM
“To those that eat Foie Gras - if you did some research into its production perhaps you will change your mind. The ducks suffer agonising pain to produce this terrible (and very unhealthy) food as metal pipes are forced down their throats for their entire, short, miserable lives (often causing organs to rupture). They are trapped in tiny cages unable to move and without access to enough water to engage in their natural behaviours.
This happens to 24 MILLION ducks annually in France which is an utter disgrace. If human beings were treated like this there would be a public outcry! Surely you can look into your hearts and go without Foie Gras for the sake of the animals. The production of Foie Gras is illegal in the UK because it does not comply with our welfare standards - doesn't that tell you some thing?
And to Mr van Vorstenbosch, I'm glad there aren't many restaurant owners like you in Bath - I hope BAN do lots more protests outside your restaurant and force you take it off the menu. They've succeeded in doing that to many restaurants in Bath, and I hope that one day, they will succeed with you.”
by KJ, Grosvenor
Wednesday, October 01 2008, 2:13PM
“It's all very well Mr van Vorstenbosch saying his fois gras creme brulee has a following, but does he really want as customers the sort of people who put their whim for a delicacy above an animal's agony? And what does it say about him that he panders to that whim? I am not a vegetarian, but the suffering of animals should not form any part of our diet.”
by Gourmet, Bath
Wednesday, October 01 2008, 2:11PM
“I for one will be ordering this dish. Thanks to the Chron for letting em know where to get it. These activists last activities alerted me to the delights of Beaujolais where I am now a regular. So thanks to them for publicising Bath Restaurants - keep it up! Hopefully they can tell me where to get other animal based delicacies!”