It Ain't Over Yet: Another Chef on 'Lolla' Food Fight

Inovasi chef/owner John des Rosiers (Photo: Inovasi)


As busy as his restaurant's been these last few months, we're shocked Inovasi owner/chef John des Rosiers has enough time to sleep let alone sit down and write.

Nevertheless, he took to his blog Wednesday to express his views on the "Lollapalooza" food fight between Chicago magazine and chef Graham Elliot Bowles:

"I think what GEB said was stupid. I am always the first one to say every chef should speak his mind, and if that mind causes controversy, then so be it. But this comment is just ridiculous for a number of reasons.

"I believe he is much smarter and more articulate than just a 3 word spewing, and just blurting it out like that is childish and serves no real purpose other to stand in the middle of the room and whine and scream until someone pays attention to you. Like a 5 year old yelling for mom."

Des Rosiers continues with how he recently handled a similar situation, in which he received a bad "review" from a customer:

"I was asked why am I so upset about the whole thing; what difference does it make to me? Well, this is why: I received an email from a customer over the weekend telling us how we do all sorts of things wrong, service, bread, managing style, etc. It was the most detailed, perfectly well written letter I have ever received, and it was also the hardest for me to read.

"Now, there are a number of ways to take something like this. I can just freak out, be pissed, and think how dare the customer tell me how to run my company, or question our food, service, etc. Or, I can be a smart businessman, be humble, and think to myself 'Is there something here? Are we as good as we should be? Is the customer right?'"

You can read his resolution right here, and I have to tell you that it's pretty damn good.