Top chefs launch major initiative opposing GM foods
Sydney, Thursday 29 May 2008: Over 50 of Australia’s top chefs have united to express their opposition to serving genetically modified (GM) foods in their restaurants by endorsing a GM Free Chefs Charter, launched by Greenpeace today.
The charter was unveiled at Jared Ingersoll’s Danks Street Depot, at a launch attended by chefs from some of Sydney’s top restaurants. The charter calls for the thorough labelling of all food products containing GM ingredients and opposes the recent introduction of GM canola in New South Wales and Victoria.
Owner and head chef of Danks Street Depot, Jared Ingersoll said, „The decision to invest in the production of GM food crops worries me greatly as a chef and as a parent. I understand the need for the use of technology in agriculture as our farmers are faced with many challenges. However, I have grave concerns for the damage that could be caused if untested and poorly regulated GM food crops enter our food chain. All I ask is that there is a more transparent and independent way of looking into these technologies which takes into consideration people’s health together with the environmental and economic impacts.”
Chefs that have endorsed the charter include Maggie Beer, Bill Granger, Stephanie Alexander, Kylie Kwong, Margaret Fulton, Neil Perry, Holly Davis, Serge Dansereau of Bathers Pavilion and other Sydney chefs Justin North of Becasse, Sean Moran of Sean’s Panorama, Matthew Moran of Aria, Martin Boetz of Longrain and Jeremy Strode of Bistrode.
>From Victoria the charter is endorsed by: Dure Dara President of the Restaurant and Catering Association of Victoria; and chefs Tobie Puttock of Fifteen Melbourne, Ben Shewry of Attica, Paul Wilson of The Botanical, Guy Grossi and Chris Rodriguez of Grossi Florentino, Tobie Puttock of Fifteen Melbourne and Teage Ezard of Ezard and Gingerboy Restaurants, among others.
Chef director of The Botanical in Melbourne, Paul Wilson said, „It is my belief there has not been enough long term testing of GM foods to convince me this is a better and more ecological way of producing food in Australia than we have in place now, and have had in place for centuries.”
Greenpeace GE campaign coordinator Michelle Sheather said, „Chefs are clearly in touch with the feelings of their customers and the groundswell of opposition to GM crops and GM foods. At the very least, all foods derived from GM crops should be clearly labelled, so that Australians have the information they need to avoid GM ingredients if they want to. The Federal Government should follow Europe’s example and implement stricter labelling laws.”
The GM Free Chefs Charter is a Greenpeace initiative which will continue to grow and be delivered to Australian governments later in the year. Supporting chefs can also choose to display a GM free Chefs’ Charter logo in their restaurant, windows, and on their website which certifies their support.
