FOOD VIGILANTE

I’m sure you are all dying to hear about my meeting with Eat n’ Park, but I have had a lot of information to compile and  needed a bit of time to write all about it. I will tell you this, the meeting went very well. Not just good, or even great, but very, very well. It has been almost 15 years since I worked for Eat n’ Park and a lot has changed.

However, I am the Food Vigilante and I have the truth.

I entered the meeting armed with information about hidden dangers in food. I was ready with a plan of shock and awe! The opposition had assembled… Kevin O’Connell, Senior VP Marketing…  Mercy Senchur, VP of Operations…  Regis Holden, Senior Director of Culinary Services…  Jamie Moore, Director of Sourcing and Sustainability. As I entered the Test kitchen at the Waterfront restaurant, I noticed that the other side had brought an Ace, a ringer, a secret weapon; none other than Mr. Brooks Broadhurst, the VP of Purchasing and Distribution. Oh, he’s also the son of Jim Broadhurst, long time Chairman and CEO of Eat n’ Park, aka, the Head Honcho!

I stood my ground and got right down to business. I rattled off facts about hydrogenated oils, high fructose corn syrup, and preservative and sugar-laden foods that are killing society. I dug my heels in and talked about the dangers that we all face when struggling with reasonable food prices against poor quality. I had everyone’s full attention as I recommended possible changes that Eat n’ Park could make to positively affect the community that it feeds. I even presented a plan to further the community friendly reputation that this company is so proud of, including, of course, some help from yours truly.

After my presentation, I braced myself for a fight. I had taken a shot at the dangers of poor quality food as related to low cost, family-style dining. I’d noticed some agreeing nods as I spoke, I may have made some of the group think a bit. I waited for the first counter-attack. A throat was cleared from one side of the room.  It was Brooks Broadhurst. Even as he drew in air to express his first thought, my anxiety grew. Was I prepared for the debate about to ensue? Could I handle myself against these corporate heavy hitters? My mind raced as Brooks uttered his first retort.  He said…

“Well, Jim, we agree with you.”

WHAT?!?! I was all dressed up for battle and he says he agrees with me? Seriously, was this some sort of brilliant bait and switch tactic designed to lure me into demise? <sigh> No, it was not. Brooks went on to explain the great strides that Eat n’ Park has taken in the last ten years to avoid some of the exact hidden food dangers that I was just rambling on about. He spoke of the elimination of trans fats from the menu, use of organic-cage-free eggs in about 20% of their supply, the recent examination at lowering salt content and even the close examination of all products used, like traveling to Costa Rica to visit the origin of their coffee beans and Mercy Senchur and he taste testing plenty of horrible trans fat-free oils before finding the right one! Jamie Moore chimed in to talk about the local farm program that concentrates on purchasing products grown or raised within 120 miles of the Pittsburgh area. The group agreed that Jamie is the not-so-in-the-closet tree hugger. He was completely on board with everything I had to say. Brooks and Regis Holden went on to tell about the difficulties in matching high quality, nutritious food products with cost effectiveness.

The bottom line, as they say in the corporate world is this… It turns out that Eat n’ Park has been translating it’s community orientated attitude into the food that it puts in front of it’s guests. There have even been changes to certain menu items that the company never even advertises. Regis and Mercy explained that a number of items have been upgraded to a lower salt, sugar or fat content product unbeknownst to the guests. Regis also showed me a prototype manual giving all possible allergens in every ingredient on the menu, along with many examples of concerns for cleanliness, cross-contamination and recyling efforts.  Bravo!

The whole group agreed that even with the many changes made over the last ten years, that they are always looking for ways to improve the quality of the food served at Eat n’ Park restaurants. An admittance was also made that the Superburger with Fries and a Coke weren’t going anywhere. The demand is just too high. I guess that’s where I come in.  Until I convince the world that they are killing themselves with what they eat, they’ll continue to make demands for practically inedible foods. <another sigh> I am planning on visiting Eat n’ Park  and other lower cost eateries so I can build, for you, some safe meal combinations for you and your families when you want to go out to eat. If you’re not concerned about cost, you can visit high-end places that can offer a totally organic menu at higher prices, or you can stick with me and I’ll do the homework for you.

So, Eat n’ Park is not perfect, but neither am I and nor are you. Working in the right direction is what’s important and I am convinced after our meeting that they are doing just that. My thanks goes out to Kevin, Brooks, Mercy and Regis for their time and consideration, a true showing of hospitality. I officially remove Eat n’ Park from my “freeze and fry” list of restaurants. But, my offer stands to consult with the company as they continue to move toward healthier menu options, maybe an organic Smiley Cookie??

You guys have my number,

FV