Food

Jonathan Gold gets a plea from his brother *

Mark Gold is executive director of Heal the Bay, which often puts him at odds with his brother, the whale-eating food writer for the LA Weekly (and their Madison Avenue ad exec brother.) Mark blogs his pain:

Jonathan Gold is indeed my brother. The Pulitzer Prize-winning foodie — who coined the slogan “Tacos Forever!” long before the food truck battles began — has spent most of his adult life chowing down on the marine critters I’ve spent over 20 years trying to protect.

I have gone to dim sum in San Gabriel when he tried to order shark fin soup. I said OMDB! I went to a restaurant with him in Chicago when he was the lead grub guy at Gourmet magazine. There, he nearly ordered wild-caught sturgeon until I complained vociferously....

[skip]

Working in the environmental movement can be tough. Our few wins are always countered with far too many losses....I’m frustrated by that lack of progress each and every day of my life, but never more than when I read about the latest threatened species that Jonathan has gleefully consumed. Or Josh’s recent ad campaign for the latest gas guzzling SUV or product that brings back Rachel Carson’s ghost.

And one more thing: How come Jonathan’s colleagues on his NPR spots never ask about the environmental impacts of his adventures in dining? Now that’s something I’d like to listen to....If only Jonathan focused on sustainable seafood for a year, imagine the positive impact he’d have on local restaurants and the dietary choices of the food obsessed.

Jonathan's whale-tasting foray in Seoul this month.

Brother Jonathan replies: "The purity of my diet cannot be said to approach your daily menu of beef, diet root beer and pre-shredded cheese, although it does have its consolations," he begins in the comments.


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