Egypt calls for stronger central bank cooperation, local currency use at BRICS summit    BRICS summit declaration pushes for reformed multilateralism, greater Global South role    Egypt's PM, Uruguay's president discuss Gaza, trade at BRICS summit    Asia-Pacific markets mixed on US tariff news    Egypt honours outgoing UNDP representative – Cabinet    Egypt's Talaat Moustafa Group H1 sales jump 59% to EGP 211bn    Egypt, Uruguay eager to expand trade across key sectors    Deadly Israeli airstrikes pound Gaza as Doha talks raise hopes for ceasefire    Egypt accelerates coastal protection projects amid rising climate threats    Egypt's PM calls Israeli war on Gaza 'most dangerous crisis' at BRICS summit    Egypt, Norway hold informal talks ahead of global plastic treaty negotiations    Greco-Roman tombs with hieroglyphic inscriptions discovered in Aswan    Global tour for Korean 'K-Comics' launches in Cairo with 'Hellbound' exhibition    Egyptian pound climbs against dollar at Wednesday's close    Philip Morris Misr announces new price list effective 1 July    Egypt teams up with private sector to boost university rankings    Egypt reveals heritage e-training portal    Three ancient rock-cut tombs discovered in Aswan    Egypt condemns deadly terrorist attack in Niger        Egypt's EHA, Schneider Electric sign MoU on sustainable infrastructure    Sisi launches new support initiative for families of war, terrorism victims    Grand Egyptian Museum opening delayed to Q4    Egypt expands e-ticketing to 110 heritage sites, adds self-service kiosks at Saqqara    Egypt's EDA joins high-level Africa-Europe medicines regulatory talks    Egypt's Irrigation Minister urges scientific cooperation to tackle water scarcity    Palm Hills Squash Open debuts with 48 international stars, $250,000 prize pool    Egypt's Democratic Generation Party Evaluates 84 Candidates Ahead of Parliamentary Vote    On Sport to broadcast Pan Arab Golf Championship for Juniors and Ladies in Egypt    Golf Festival in Cairo to mark Arab Golf Federation's 50th anniversary    Germany among EU's priciest labour markets – official data    Cabinet approves establishment of national medical tourism council to boost healthcare sector    Egypt's PM follows up on Julius Nyerere dam project in Tanzania    Egypt's FM inspects Julius Nyerere Dam project in Tanzania    Paris Olympic gold '24 medals hit record value    A minute of silence for Egyptian sports    Russia says it's in sync with US, China, Pakistan on Taliban    It's a bit frustrating to draw at home: Real Madrid keeper after Villarreal game    Shoukry reviews with Guterres Egypt's efforts to achieve SDGs, promote human rights    Sudan says countries must cooperate on vaccines    Johnson & Johnson: Second shot boosts antibodies and protection against COVID-19    Egypt to tax bloggers, YouTubers    Egypt's FM asserts importance of stability in Libya, holding elections as scheduled    We mustn't lose touch: Muller after Bayern win in Bundesliga    Egypt records 36 new deaths from Covid-19, highest since mid June    Egypt sells $3 bln US-dollar dominated eurobonds    Gamal Hanafy's ceramic exhibition at Gezira Arts Centre is a must go    Italian Institute Director Davide Scalmani presents activities of the Cairo Institute for ITALIANA.IT platform    







Thank you for reporting!
This image will be automatically disabled when it gets reported by several people.



Anthony Bourdain's death means loss of a voice for immigrant workers
Published in Ahram Online on 09 - 06 - 2018

Anthony Bourdain's culinary passions went far beyond the cuisine he put on a plate. He also was committed to the immigrant workers who toil in his and other kitchens throughout the restaurant industry.
Bourdain, who died Friday in France in an apparent suicide at age 61, was an outspoken critic of President Donald Trump's immigration policies and a fierce defender of Hispanic workers.
The chef, global traveler and author, whose popularity grew with his CNN series "Parts Unknown," often was the first to tip his hat to his employees from Central America or Mexico. He promoted his Mexican-born sous chef, the late Carlos Llaguno Garcia, to run two of his New York restaurants and complained loudly about the United States' "ridiculously hypocritical attitudes" toward immigration.
"Some, of course, like to claim that Mexicans are stealing American jobs," Bourdain said in 2014. "But in two decades as a chef and employer, I never had one American kid walk in my door and apply for a dishwashing job, a porter's position or even a job as prep cook."
During the 2016 presidential campaign season, Bourdain slammed Trump's promises to deport immigrants in the U.S. illegally and build a wall along the Mexican border.
"If Mr. Trump deports 11 million people or whatever he's talking about right now, every restaurant in America would shut down," Bourdain said in an interview with SiriusXM radio.
Trump has said the wall is needed to keep immigrants and drugs out of the U.S. and his policies are designed to keep the country safe.
Julian Medina, the owner of eight Mexican restaurants in New York, said he and Bourdain crossed paths a few times at industry events.
"The Latino community was very important to him because in the kitchens of New York there are many Latinos," Medina said. "He supported that because he always worked beside a Latino and put Carlos in charge of his kitchen."
Saul Montiel, executive chef at the Mexican restaurant Cantina Roof Top in Manhattan, said Garcia, who died of cancer in 2015, always spoke highly of Bourdain. For an episode of Bourdain's Travel Channel show, "No Reservations," Garcia gave Bourdain a tour of his hometown, Puebla. Bourdain claimed all the best cooks in his New York restaurants came from there.
Montiel, who started in the business washing dishes 15 years ago, said Bourdain was "one of the few chefs that valued the work of the Latinos in the kitchen."
"There are many chefs," he said, "that never recognize the hard work of the Hispanics."
Mel Mecinas, an executive chef in Scottsdale, Arizona, who was born in Oaxaca, Mexico, remembers when Bourdain featured his home state on "Parts Unknown." He liked that Bourdain went to smaller villages and wasn't afraid to sit on the floor and eat, sampling traditional dishes such as tamales with mole negro sauce wrapped in banana leaves instead of corn husks.
"When he goes somewhere, he always finds the place where he can find the root of the culture," Mecinas said. "I was so impressed about how down-to-earth he is and his sense of humor."
Occasionally, Bourdain's penchant to spotlight minorities attracted a backlash. Last year, a blogger accused him of banning white chefs from getting exposure on a "Parts Unknown" episode on Houston's culinary scene. Bourdain responded on Twitter, calling it "shameful, dishonest race-baiting click bait."
Latinos weren't the only minority group that embraced Bourdain. Jason Wang, CEO of Xi'an Famous Foods in New York, planned to donate profits at all its locations on Friday to the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline.
In a Facebook post, Wang said Bourdain's impact on his family's Chinese street food business was immeasurable. In 2007, Bourdain endorsed the Wangs' basement food stall, which served lamb noodle soup with hand-ripped noodles on "No Reservations."
The bump in business was swift. Wang and his father gradually went from that stall to six eateries. In 2015, Wang had the chance to relay his gratitude in person.
"I looked at him in the eyes and said, 'this is something we will always be thankful for Tony,'" Wang wrote. "And he simply replied, 'I'm just calling out good food like it is, that's all.'"


Clic here to read the story from its source.