Robert De Niro Caught Selling Endangered Fish in His Restaurants
This past weekend, undercover operatives from Greenpeace tested the DNA of fish served in several London-based restaurants that are part of a chain known as Nobu. The restaurants are partially owned by actor Robert De Niro. The tested fish were discovered to be endangered bluefin tuna. In an incredibly stupid response, Nobu’s principal manager has decided to label the endangered fish with an asterisk on the restaurants’ menu, rather than stopping to serve it.
Do I think this response will ultimately be acceptable to the world community? Absolutely not. If De Niro is as good at managing his restaurants as he is his acting career, then the appropriate action for this embarrassing incident should be a no-brainer. But instead, De Niro’s partner has shot them in the foot.
According to the Telegraph, Richie Notar, the chain’s manager has said that an asterisk will now be put on the menu to aware customers of the fish’s status. They add the following: “Mr. Notar said he would like to take bluefin off the menu altogether, but the move was being resisted by the chain’s Japanese chefs who serve it in sushi and sashimi. In Japan, bluefin is considered the most delicious of all tuna species.”
I guess you have about the same size backbone as the fish you are serving, Mr. Notar.
In fairness to Notar, it is not illegal to sell bluefin tuna. The Telegraph notes on the other hand that “scientists have warned that fishing for bluefin tuna in the Mediterranean and Eastern Atlantic is taking place at levels far higher than stocks can stand. A crisis meeting to discuss a possible ban on fishing takes place in November.”
My guess is that De Niro’s restaurant chain will suffer a serious decline in business because of Greenpeace’s sting operation. Whether or not the international community is as outraged as I am remains to be seen. Hopefully De Niro will come forward and do the right thing.
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Photo Credit: Siebbi on Flickr under a Creative Commons license
Guess Nobu is more concerned with retaining his chefs than any thought of the future of the bluefin tuna! As was pointed out in the article, customers will ultimately decide the right/wrong of it.
Well, I’d still eat it. Last time I checked, Greenpeace does not rule what I eat.
sounds like “The Freshman” to me…that movie with matthew broderick and marlon brando
Well I know that this just makes me want to go to Nobu even more than I already did! Unless somebody can suggest a cheaper restaurant that sells bluefin tuna?!?
So I guess if Nobu stops selling bluefin they’ll magically be saved. Too bad 80% of all the bluefin tuna in the world is sold to Japan. Way to make a difference guys…
If it isn’t illegal to sell or fish Bluefin then there isn’t anything anyone can do about it. And, unless the coverage of the story is more widespread than this article on planetsave.com the general public isn’t going to give shit. The owners and managers, and also Chefs, of Nobu can do whatever they want provided it is legal. The fact is that people who patronize this restaurant and others like it have enough money to spend on delicacies that they don’t care what the environmental implications are. Another example is fois gras - you don’t see the rich rejecting restaurants that serve that do you? Even though it is extremely inhumane to ducks and geese. Greenpeace isn’t the police and are rouge enough that main stream populations don’t pay them any mind.
Cry me a river bitches, its not illegal there’s no real shame here at all. Greenpeace once again proves themselves to be nothing but publicity whores.
It’s fish. As we often quote, there are plenty more fish in the sea. I can’t believe people went through the trouble of DNA testing the fish (which they had to order to test, which in essence is perpetuating the “problem”). I can’t understand how organizations like PETA and Greenpeace dedicate themselves to saving animals when there are millions of destitute HUMANS in the world with no one to help them. Plus all this hubbub about the fish is press. Good press, or bad press, it’s still press- which is exactly what I imagine the type of people who eat in Dinero’s restaurant relish in. I bet that tuna is selling like hotcakes now! LOL
I ate at the new Nobu that just opened in the Atlantic resort in Dubai for the first time last week. It was my first time at a Nobu and it was one of the better dining experiences that I’ve ever had. Then I read about the serving of endangered fish and will have to take my business elsewhere.
I didn’t order anything endangered, but refuse to support a restaurant that is selfish enough to continue to contribute to the extinction of a species just because it tastes a little better.
The sad thing is that the restaurant doesn’t need it. They could easily maintain their standards without it. I hope they come to their senses.