Next week’s episode of Top Chef Canada to feature horsemeat, outrage ensues
Oh, the controversy. At the end last week’s episode of Top Chef Canada, the preview for episode six featured, among other things, French-culinary-god-by-way-of-NYC Daniel Boulud as guest judge, a classic French cuisine challenge, and—how did we miss this?—horsemeat. Well, other viewers didn’t miss it, and many have been up in arms with Food Network Canada via Twitter and Facebook. They’ve even begun an online petition to boycott the network.
Our favourite commentators included @cursivenight, who tweeted, “Top Chef/Canada Food Network is airing an episode with horse meat – DISPICABLE!!!!,” and @thinkgoat who noted that the episode would air “next week, during what is known as Horse Week in Canada” (apparently Horse Week 2011 was actually cancelled, but for unrelated reasons).
In response to the uproar, Food Network Canada offered a non-apology via Facebook:
We understand there is growing concern about an upcoming episode of Top Chef Canada that is set to air Monday May 16th on Food Network Canada. Some viewers have noted their belief that the use of horse meat in a culinary challenge on the show is controversial. Please be assured it is not our intention to offend our viewers. The challenge in this episode involves having the competitors create a truly authentic, traditional French menu. One of the most traditional French foods is horsemeat…. While we understand that this content may not appeal to all viewers, Food Network Canada aims to engage a wide audience, embracing different food cultures in our programming. We thank you for expressing your concerns.
Though traditional in France, horse consumption has been a controversial issue in North America. Canada is in fact one of the only horsemeat producers in the West—it’s apparently a $60-million industry in this country. For a look at how the industry works, check out this post on former Homemakers food editor Dana McCauley’s blog, where she defends Toronto restaurants like Pangaea (she’s married to chef Martin Kouprie), La Palette and the Black Hoof.
We have to admit we’re a little surprised at the selectivity of the outrage. Where were the petitions when Todd Perrin made seal flipper in episode one? And why did all the activists skip over the foie gras that will also be featured in next week’s episode? To be honest, we were more shocked at the fact that Perrin is shown using store-bought puff pastry in the preview. Has he never watched the show?
UPDATE: The horsemeat episode has now aired. Check out our recap »
Thanks for linking to my post.
My article is a little dated now but I think that many of the same issues and arguments are still being discussed so I’m glad to hear that Food Network is going to be supporting this episode. The more people talk about an issue like horsemeat consumption, the more informed we’ll all be.
PS: Pangaea no longer uses horsemeat since learning that the industry is so poorly regulated and non-food purpose bred animals are often incorporated into our food stream. As for the other restos, my words were based on their older menus. I’m not sure who on this list is currently serving horsemeat.
Very interesting information Dana (in regards to Pangea no longer serving horse). I’m an avid horse rider and owner, but I’m not against the consumption of horses for food. However I’m well aware of the lack of regulation in the industry and that a large majority of horses slaughtered for food were once personal pets.
Very true. Pets and working animals (race horses, police and carriage horses, etc) are medicated and fed very differntly than food purpose bred animals.
Sheltered, closed-minded individuals should really step outside their houses more often.
Just because you don’t get it pre-wrapped at your local Loblaws or find it routinely in your hamburger doesn’t mean that it’s not considered food somewhere else in the world.
Eating a horse, that is bred for eating is really no different than eating a cow, pig or lamb…and yet no one is threatening to boycott Food Network because Rachael Ray is making sliders again.
Shows how small-minded some people can be. I welcome Food Network to continue expanding our palettes and minds.
I’m hungry enough to eat a horse at the best of times but just try to find ONE purpose breed horse farm for selling meat to consumers in Canada. You can’t because there aren’t any. If there is no story behind the ingredient then it doesn’t deserve a place on my menu. It’s not small mindedness (I have investigated this more than most out there) it’s just a fact that there is no traceability behind what consumers are being sold.
As someone who used to be a huge Top Chef fan, I am one of the outraged.
This isn’t just about them using a meat not normally used. This is about supporting a cruel, unregulated industry where riding horses are bought (sometimes under false pretenses), made into meat, and sold to unsuspecting diners.
Top Chef used to pride itself on the quality and integrity of its ingredients. They really dropped the ball here. And their reluctance to admit any wrongdoing makes me question what they really stand for.
I am so upset. Not only am I a fan of the reality tv shows, I am an advocate for the humane society… Do we eat cats? Dogs? This is going so low, so unreal… Creativity does not go that far. Shame on you, I hope you loose something in your journey. We as Canadian’s do not have to resort to this, obviously you.
I understand not eating the horse meat because the lack of regulation on the horse meat industry, but attacking the consumption of this meat on a moral level is complete narrow-mindedness. It’s shameful really. Our country is the biggest melting pot of cultures in the world and for us to be so insensitive to others diets is so sad. The comment above about eating cats and dogs, in many cultures, thats completely exceptable and often needed as a source of protien. The whole attack on the seal industry as well is embarrasing. What do we expect our native notherners to eat? Vegetables? Cattle? Is that really sustainable in a barren land such as the north? Canada, please, lets try less to be like Americans and more excepting of others!
I think horse meat is being singled out with myopic outrage. Horse meat has been eaten traditionally for centuries. The issue should be that we must be educated enough to cook with ingredients that have been raised responsibly. We should care to learn where our meat comes from, and that the animals were raised for that purpose in humane environments with good quality feed. Horses are intelligent, and yet so indeed are pigs. We must simply have respect for what we are consuming, and be aware of how it has come to the table. To me, getting a drive-through burger made from mass produced cattle at Mc’Ds is even more questionable.
The Food Network claims that it wishes to cover cuisine from all cultures from around the Globe. If that is true, then after the French Cuisine episode that involves Horse Meat they should do an episode of authentic Chinese cuisine. They can run down to the Humane Society, adopt a few dogs and cats, slaughter them add some sauce and voilà! I wonder how well that would go over. I will never watch that show again and I am encouraging others not to as well.
On a positive note, this issue is educating more people about the horrible practice of horse slaughter. They are bred as companions, not livestock, and only irresponsible breeders think it’s okay to slaughter horses, babies and pregnant mares.
This is nothing more than pandering. There is nothing about horse meat that is essential for being good chef, but the use of horse meat is controversial and controversy sparks publicity.
It’s a cheap trick. Regardless of using controversial (and less than healthy meat) I would never watch a show that has to depend on such obvious, cheap tricks.
Katie,
You cannot categorize everything as either companion or food. That label is not for you to decide. What is companion to you is food to someone else. We should know better than that in this day and age, especially in Canada where we live amongst so many different cultures and traditions.
Cows are sacred in Hindu society and yet we don’t see Indian people up in arms that someone is making a hamburger.
I remember an episode of Japanese Iron Chef when they took live turtles and butchered them on TV as the secret ingredient. No letters to Food Network back then. Yet…a lot of people have turtles as pets. Companion or food?
People raise pigs as pets. They certainly aren’t picketing anyone eating bacon.
Hypocrisy is what this supposed outrage is.
Horse meat has been eaten longer than you have been alive so get off your high horse (yes pun intended).
What is the matter with people in this WORLD !!! It’s a horse ( livestock ) just because it is not a popular protein to eat in canada, does not meen that it is not popular in the other parts of this world….Take off the blinders people and realize that there might be a market for what YOU have choosen as a pet!Take a look at FIDO laying on the carpet beside you, were do you think he is popular at. Not everyone in this world only eat, fish, chicken, beef, pork and lamb.
Actually people aren’t just focusing on the horses. I’ve been mentioning Foie Gras as often as I can even in the horse forums I am a part of. Although the treatment of those poor ducks and geese is wretched, the things horses go through for slaughter are absolutely horrifying, so even though I feel horrible, I can understand why people are focusing on the horses. My heart still breaks for those fowl.
It is also because horses are a companion animal and therefore bring out a stronger response in people.
But I’ve known pet ducks and geese.
All I read here is WHAAAA WHAAA WHAAA!
Sounds like someone needs to start up an organic, sustainable, ethical, humane, “grass fed”, free range, heritage breed horse farming business…and pronto! And please only breed ugly horses so no one will feel squeemish.
Mmmmmmmm….equinelicious.
If they plan on using horse meat on this program I want them to know that I and a hell of a lot of my fellow competitors and friends and associations and perhaps the CANADIAN OLYMPIC RIDING TEAMS will all show up at their door with picket signs and go on a mission to destroy the reputation of this show. How disturbing is it that in a civilized nation like Canada this practice is accepted and on TELEVISION. They should be ashamed of themselves, their network and their lack of moral values. Horses have defended man in wars for CENTURIES, are gentle natured creatures that live to SERVE man not BE SERVED TO man. What’s next…why not serve up some dogs or cats too…they also serve man and I’m sure are full of protein too!
Sincerely,
Disgusted Viewer
The fact that there is an outrage over this proves that Canada for the most part is light years behind other Western nations in terms of a knowledgeable eating culture, something that was extremely evident in that ethnic food episode. It’s such a shame that Canada is seen as a great multicultural nation, yet so many of us are so close-minded and sheltered.
I really hope that this is the only season of Top Chef Canada; the actual show and this outrage over horse meat justifiably perpetuate the stereotype that Canadians are bland, safe, and vanilla.
Monica,
Typical narrow-minded viewpoint. The thought that just because it’s used for one thing to us, it isn’t seen as something else to others. Once again, as many others have said here…why don’t owners of pigs or rabbits as pets protest the consumption of those animals? Sorry to say it, a horse is an animal.
Katie, that is really offensive and you show a clear lack of understanding of Chinese cuisine. For shame.
Another thing I find remarkable is that somehow, horses, cats and dogs are seen as “above eating status” because they serve humans, but cows and pigs are okay for food because, well… they’re just food. Really??? We eat to live, and those things that give us nourishment should be revered for without them we would not have life. If that is not the greatest service to humans then I don’t know what world I live in.
For my part, I am a horse lover and cannot imagine eating horse meat. To me this would be the same as saying I’m a dog lover and then eating dog meat. Many (if not most) horses that get shipped for meat in Canada are in deplorable condition and/or have outlived their usefulness to humans. Anyone who condones eating horse meat should find a horse expert to take a tour to the auctions when these sad, frequently-in-pain animals are sold for pennies per pound. Would you do that to your family’s beloved dog? I don’t think so. On top of this is the fact that the industry is unregulated and process of transportation and then slaughter for horses (a high flight animal) is horrendous. There are some graphic videos out there on the web showing what goes on when slaughterhouse staff are trying to get a dead bolt shot in the right spot on the terrified, scrambling horse. Indeed CBC did a story about the conditions in slaughterhouses in Quebec and Alberta last year complete with hidden video http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/story/2010/05/17/f-horse-slaughter.html and the Canada Food Inspection Agency spokesperson’s comments about being “shocked, angered, dismayed” by what they saw. Frankly, I’m surprised that the Food Network Canada would want to be on the side of the types of people shown in these kinds of videos.
Next we must all go to Sardania and save the poor Donkey, poor little donkeys.
Personally, I think I’ll take the humane approach and start harvesting horses in the wild. I’ll feel so much better about myself.
People legally shoot bears and eat them too in Ontario. Should we put a ban on the “teddybear” hunt too? GD bleeding hearts.
This may be news to foodie sophisticates, but if you’ve ever ordered “bavette grillee” in a Paris Brasserie, chances are you are chowing down on cheval. Helpful hints: If it feels as though you are attempting to slice into a Kodiak Greb with your steak knife, and the meat is stringy and practically inedible, you’ve got a plate full of “Hi ho Silver,”pal!
Best washed down with a dregsy vin ordinaire rouge, as
only a moron would fall for the “delicacy” shtick!
The best reason not to eat horse, though, is out of respect. Without the Horse, humans would be nowhere.
Forgot to add, for benefit of the truly squeamish: if “My Friend Flicka” is not to your palate, avoid formal dinner parties at the embassy in Beijing, where Western guests are expected to have the good manners not to ask whether the delicacies served include “Lassie Chow Mein”and “Sweet and Sour Fluffy Balls,” or what exactly IS the main ingredient in the “Bird’s Nest Soup.” My favourite amuse bouche (dubbed “Sparrow in a Blender” by a fellow diner), will remain a mystery, thanks to diplomacy!
I feel that the people who are saying it’s ok to eat horses in Canada aren’t getting the main point of the opposition. It’s not that it’s horsemeat per se, but it’s because of the horses that are being slaughtered for their meat. These horses aren’t purpose bred for meat, there is no traceability in place and no regulations as to the mediciation they are given. These are lesson horses, dressage, jumpers, ropers, trail riding, backyard, racing, carriage, used up mennonite, police, rodeo, RECREATIONAL HORSES. I will never purposely eat horsemeat, but if they were actually raised like beef from the time a foal hits the ground, including ear tags, production records, traceability, etc and handled in a more humane way to slaughter then it would be more palatable. What RIGHT does the pleasure horse industry have to suddenly turn their horse into human food when they’re done with them? What RIGHT do they have to be able to sell their horses as meat for human consumpion on an honour system? Why even bother with any kind of tracking or accountablility in any meat then? Why is the horse industry so special that they don’t have to follow the rules and regs like cattle, pork and poultry producers have to? Why is anyone allowing the USDA and CFIA to get away with allowing this meat to be used for HUMAN CONSUMPTION…EVER! What a disgrace to agriculture. Anyone living in the Toronto area who wants to see our so called ‘meat’ horses just needs to head to the St Jacobs Farmers market in Waterloo, on a Tuesday. The horse auction starts about 11am and watch the kill buyers scoop up their quota of ‘horsemeat on the hoof’, all of who come from the recreational industry or were used up by the local mennonites and dumped like trash at the auction for a couple hundred bucks.
I am not interested eating horse meat and would not be against it if they are raised and regulated like other meats that we found in our supermarket.
When you have someone like Bebe Lizardo commenting, I could see why someone like me got turn-off by the racist remarks being made against a particular race shows the extremism in their beliefs that not helping the cause. If this fight is over politics, I can understand why we have someone called “OSAMA”.
Bebe shutup, you’re not helping the cause!
“Traditional” is an elastic word. The consumption of horse meat in France was very deliberately introduced in the mid-nineteenth century as a source of cheap meat for the labouring poor. Previously (as in much of Christian Europe) there had been a longstanding taboo on eating horse flesh, established by the Pope in the eighth century. Before THAT, yes, it probably was a traditional dish, going back to the Stone Age.
WHAT’S NEXT???? LET’S CHOP UP A DOG OR CAT SO WE CAN MAKE A ASIAN DISH?? IT IS A BAD CHOICE TO AIR THIS PROGRAM & IT IS A BAD CHOICE TO EAT HORSES. YOU WILL LOOSE VIEWERS. HOPE IT IS WORTH IT!!!
I don’t know what’s worse in the comments section, the ridiculous cases made for not eating horse meat or the rampant sterotyping/racism. You people should be ashamed of yourselves. Oh, and caps lock off please. That’s just plain rude.
The fact that people in other parts of the world that are of different cultures eat horse meat doesn’t make it right. I think that if an individual has the ability to watch any animal being slaughtered in a meat factory and then still consume that flesh, then have at it. If it weren’t for the majesty of the horse and it’s willingness to to be a partner to humans at any cost, the world as we know it wouldn’t exist. We owe everything we have achieved, to the horse and this is how we repay them. The combustion engine has only been available to us for about a hundred years. How does anyone think we managed life before that? Three guesses. As Gandhi said, “The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the ways its animals are treated.” Based on that quote I am going to give Canada a huge FAIL. I”m sick of the philosophy of “If it can’t talk, eat it.” Maybe we could start eating babies next. They’re pretty helpless and can’t protest much. That would be a good solution to the most pervasive over population problem on Earth. Humans!!
Canada is NOT nor will it ever be a ‘melting pot’. We celebrate diversity and respect all traditions, religions, cultures and customs. I love horses, i think they are noble, loyal and one of the most majestic creatures ever put on this earth. But i also feel it is absolutely dispicable to just throw away potential food sources. In this day and age, that is truly a ‘waste’ of a gift. There is a reason why our world has vastly more garbage and waste then our historical ancestors; they didn’t waste anything. They had respect for the earth and its creatures and truly understood what was meant by an animal giving the ultimate sacrifice to humanity so he/she might live.
It’s not a pretty thing, the idea of cutting down a horse to be used as a food source, but i think cows, with their long thoughtful lashes are beautiful; the low coos and clucks from chickens make them mesmerizing to me; venison, essentially are deer, you can’t tell me they aren’t pretty too…but so are flowers, yet we cut them to display their slain carcasses just the same in our homes in vases? (a slow death…basically waiting for the garbage/compost…did you know some flowers are perfectly edible? but in a world so short of food and natural resources, we dont’ eat them).
some of the most beautiful things i’ve seen were the gnarly turns of an heirloom rainbow tomatoe grown lovingly from seed.
i wish i could agree with those so outraged, but ultimately it comes down to censorship. north america is so censored, most of us don’t even know where that boneless, skinless (breastless?) chicken breast at the supermarket came from, because slaughtering animals for food is ugly and dirty and messy, and who ‘wants’ to see that? It’s terribly sad. THAT is terrible sad. How can you truly appreciate something if you have NO IDEA where it came from? sacrifices are laid out in aisles, it’s called the meat dept., some of them don’t even make it to our tables. what a waste? but we take it for granted.
North America is voicing itself to be that young, naive sibling of the ‘old world’.
If you eat meat, of ANY KIND, ESP from fast food joints, or boxes that line the grocery store, then i implore you all to open your eyes to talk to a farmer, a shepherd, a cowboy; go and check out BBC’s River Cottage! Then come back and blast the rest of us.
But please, please don’t censor the rest of us. Some of us are interested to learn how the old world managed to exist as long as it has, (clearly they were doing something right).
And in response to the Ghandi quote:
I dont’ think Canada has failed, yet.
There are many passionate farmers and sustainability advocates that are working tirelessly to ensure that their produce and (animal) stock are born and raised humanely and cared for lovely and then given the most respectful and humane slaughter possible.
So there are some Canadians that are putting Ghandi’s words to action. (so i think you kinda fail here in the research dept). =(
Everyone is entitled to their own opinions, but to those who wish to protest and boycott over this: If you don’t want to eat horsemeat, then don’t. No one’s forcing you. Change the channel.
And a national television show presenting this protein source is not going to skyrocket horsemeat consumption; some of the most notable chefs in this city have even had it on their menus: open your eyes.
I would never eat nor condone the consumption of dogs, that’s just my personal preference, but i’m not going to judge the stall owners overseas who are selling dog carcusses stacked like lamb carcusses stacked at any butchers. And somewhere in the world, (ASIA) there was some very hungry and poor people who probably had to resort to eating that dog/rat/cat, (this is for you, person commenting with the non-asian surname, blasting all asian cuisine into the stone ages…dude, we don’t all eat dog. And how do you know other parts of the world and other cuisines don’t use dog? what about peru and their guinea pigs? or Inuits consumption of seals and whales? some of us love our dogs and guinea pigs more then we love YOU =P but seriously, not very nice to generalize there).
Because somewhere on this beautiful planet is a horse/dog/bug eating genius who is terribly offended that you’d slaughter that beautiful cow/chicken/lamb/tomato/flower.
don’t censor information just because you don’t like what you’re hearing/seeing.
it’s crazy how upset ppl are getting. this is not new. HORSEMEAT IS NOT NEW. (caps lock was for emphasis, not yelling. =D)
You are either vegetarian, and take a principled stand against eating meat, or you are not. Picking and choosing is just absurd, and I think for the most part, a sign of low intelligence.
On the other hand, caring about the treatment of the animals that one eats is reasonable – in fact it is important and good – but that is a separate issue. And, one that should be approached in the same way as the above – ie, if you care about the treatment of horses, why not cows and chickens? On a pure cruelty basis, those two animals (maybe throw pigs in there too) are on a population basis, way more put upon in NA than any other animal.
I saw dogs being sold for food in China – they were obviously different, and not treated the same way as dogs as pets. I don’t have any issue with that, and think that people that do, but continue to eat other meats, are hypocrites and maybe a bit dull.
can’t wait to steal my neighbour’s dog and BBQ it. they taste amazing, especially the big ones. yum. cat, not so much.
horsemeat, blah. it’s ok. babies taste good too
Top Chef Canada stands for ratings ($$$) and not much else. They will lose money for their arrogance. So will any people or entities associated with them… Canada. Financial BOYCOTT. For people to torture animals so that they can eat them is heinous. And animals are NOT humanely euthanized for human consumption, they are slaughtered. You are eating American horses that are not considered livestock but companion animals and there is a big difference. You can’t trace the sources of our horses. Our horses get drugs – drugs that you will ingest when you take a bite of horsemeat. Drugs that are not meant for human consumption. Drugs that are bad for you. Slaughter – watch a video and if you aren’t moved to tears, you have no heart. Horses get a bolt gun to the head or they are stabbed repeatedly in the spine. Then, they are hung up by one leg and bled to death – and they are sometimes awake during this torture. To say that the morality of this is small minded is the statement of a person who has no moral compass… you are a danger to society. You want to eat animals? Have the moral responsibility to go out and kill your own dinner. Too gruesome for you? Then become a vegetarian. Nothing cruel about that. Tastes good, too. Oh, and no snarky remarks about me being an American. I am 25% Canadian – and ashamed of that right now. Oh, foie gras – forcefeeding poultry with a feeding tube jammed down their necks – uncivilized. Seal slaughter – ditto. How would you like it if these things were done to you? For those who believe in God or feel that you are a good person, The Bible says that killing/eating a single hooved animal is a sin. Or does the word of God not matter when it comes to what you crave? Human will is a single-minded rampaging muscular bully.
@Monkey – learn the facts before you write things down. SLAUGHTER IS NOT HUMANE! Humane euthanasia involves drugs. Drugs that are not safe or meant for human consumption – because those drugs kill animals. Slaughter is cruel, painful, bloody gruesome. Canada endorses it! BOYCOTT everything Canadian until slaughter is ended.
Amen Monkey and ToddWhitmore
It’s not up to you to judge which animals should be food and which ones should be friends. If you don’t like it, then don’t eat it. Plain and simple. But understand that just because you don’t agree with the consumption of said animal…doesn’t mean it should not be eaten. People in our own country and in other places around the world have been eating horse and other organisms not chicken/cow/pig/plant for longer than you’ve been alive to make a stink about it. Respect that.
Next up….baby seal.
I find it hypocritical that people get so upset over horse meat, but don’t seem to care that all of the animal “products” they eat were also once animals. In North America, there is no reason for ANY animal to be raised and killed only to be eaten.
Furthermore, there is no “humane” way to kill an animal. Killing is still killing. Even in these so-called humane slaughters, a life is raised only to be killed, needlessly.
Yes, it is outrageous that they would kill horses, but it is just as outrageous that they would kill cows, chickens, etc. If you are going to get upset over the slaughter of horses, show some compassion for all of the other animals you are responsible for also slaughtering on a daily basis.