New York considering banning salt in restaurant kitchens—no, really
Big Brother is watching, and his name is Felix Ortiz. The New York lawmaker has introduced a bill that would forbid chefs from adding salt to their dishes in an effort to reduce consumers’ sodium intake. Instead, diners would add their own salt at the table. “In this way, consumers have more control over the amount of sodium they intake and are given the option to exercise healthier diets and healthier lifestyles,” Ortiz told Nation’s Restaurant News.
Not surprisingly, the proposed ban on flavour isn’t getting much support from restaurant associations and public interest groups, both saying that a salt ban solves bupkis. Grub Street notes that the bill is “insane,” citing its $1,000 fine for “each use of salt.” How will this be enforced? Will there be a sodium czar assigned to monitor the state’s 20,000 restaurants? Can diners sue an establishment for a salt overdose?
This sort of bill would never fly in Toronto—we’re too fond of poutine, charcuterie, flavour and common sense. New York, we love you, but you’re bringing us down. We learned earlier this week that a chef down there is serving human breast milk cheese, and that Susur Lee is wishing New Yorkers were more adventurous. This stranger-than-fiction bill is making us wonder what has happened to the culinary capital.
• N.Y. lawmaker seeks to ban salt in restaurants [Nation’s Restaurant News]
• Insane Bill Would Ban Salt in Restaurants, Impose $1,000 Fines [Grub Street]
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Big Brother is watching, and his name is Felix Ortiz. The New York lawmaker has introduced a bill that would forbid chefs from adding salt to their dishes in an effort to reduce consumers’ sodium intake. Instead, diners would add their own salt at the table. “In this way, consumers have more control over the amount of sodium they intake and are given the option to exercise healthier diets and healthier lifestyles,” Ortiz told Nation’s Restaurant News.
Not surprisingly, the proposed ban on flavour isn’t getting much support from restaurant associations and public interest groups, both saying that a salt ban solves bupkis. Grub Street notes that the bill is “insane,” citing its $1,000 fine for “each use of salt.” How will this be enforced? Will there be a sodium czar assigned to monitor the state’s 20,000 restaurants? Can diners sue an establishment for a salt overdose?
This sort of bill would never fly in Toronto—we’re too fond of poutine, charcuterie, flavour and common sense. New York, we love you, but you’re bringing us down. We learned earlier this week that a chef down there is serving human breast milk cheese, and that Susur Lee is wishing New Yorkers were more adventurous. This stranger-than-fiction bill is making us wonder what has happened to the culinary capital.
• N.Y. lawmaker seeks to ban salt in restaurants [Nation's Restaurant News]
• Insane Bill Would Ban Salt in Restaurants, Impose $1,000 Fines [Grub Street]){kind=link}
There is no chef in NYC “serving human breast milk cheese”. If you read an actual interview with the chef – like this one – you’d know that he just made some for his wife and himself using a surplus of pumped breast milk. It’s not being sold in his restaurant.
But so what if it was? Some would argue that it’s more natural for humans to consume human milk than it is for us to consume the milk of other animals…
First no dancing and now no salt? What’s next, no smiling?
“This sort of bill would never fly in Toronto—we’re too fond of poutine, charcuterie, flavour and common sense.”
You had me until the common sense part. This is EXACTLY the kind of thing that would fly in Toronto. This is the city that regulates hot dog vendors within an inch of their life and does all sorts of bureaucratic things with good intentions that never end up working.
Imagine, that would be the end of Katz’s Deli, Russ & Daughters… I doubt many people would be happy to salt their own lox, or eat their bland un-brined smoked meat sandwiches without the pickle.
Thank you Daniel. Let’s also not forget that this is the city that tried to ban sushi. So let’s not get too smug Toronto.
And god, what about the pasta? Have these people never heard of salting starches? Good for the starch, good for the taste buds.
I suppose they figure it’s easier to lay down the law on restaurants than on the real cause of heavy sodium in our diets – processed food.