Jeff Smith, the Frugal Gourmet

[dlc]

I have been making his Italian Gravy from the "Cooking with Wine" cookbook for years. It is a meatless red sauce whose taste I have always associated with my Italian grandmother's version. Or maybe it is just the passing of the years. I enjoyed his shows and the history he gave on the dishes but cannot reconcile thsi with pedophilia.

[MsRamsey]

was he ever found guilty of anything?

did he ever get his day in court?

Here's the complaint filed against him.

They settled out of court.

A total of six men filed complaints against him for claims of molestation when they were under 18. If you live in Seattle, you hear a lot of very sad anecdotes as well from long-time residents.

Edit: Found an old story that it was a total of 10 men who filed suit.

Edited March 29, 2004 by MsRamsey (log)

[auntdot]

Used to love to watch the Frug. Still use some recipes occasionally.

Became disgusted when I heard about his 'activities'.

But those charges, and I am not a lawyer, appear to have been served in civil court.

Why did no one press criminal charges against this guy?

If the stated accusations are true, the Frug should be spending hard time, not merely having to pay off a few families for his errant ways.

[paul o' vendange]

I am afraid to admit I couldn't get past his personality, which, as a young lad normally rabid for cooking shows (usually, "best chefs of..." and Galloping, when Graham Kerr was actually galloping) tended to drive me batty. So, I never got into his shows nor did I ever acquire one of his books. I think I was too early addicted to French cooking, and almost single-mindedly wanted to learn everything I could about the culture, language and cuisine. My first "teacher" was Pepin at 11, followed by Escoffier, et al. Have I missed something here? Are his books enjoyable/informative?

Paul

[hannnah]

I have to admit, I never liked the show - it was a little too Mr. Rogers for me. However, I do own the "Immigrant Ancestors" cookbook mentioned upthread, and I've always had good luck with the recipes. The cheesecake, Guinness beef stew, and tortilla espanola are particular standouts that I keep coming back to, but there are a number of others that have worked out as well.

[Carolyn Tillie]

I am afraid to admit I couldn't get past his personality, which, as a young lad normally rabid for cooking shows (usually, "best chefs of..." and Galloping, when Graham Kerr was actually galloping) tended to drive me batty. So, I never got into his shows nor did I ever acquire one of his books. I think I was too early addicted to French cooking, and almost single-mindedly wanted to learn everything I could about the culture, language and cuisine. My first "teacher" was Pepin at 11, followed by Escoffier, et al. Have I missed something here? Are his books enjoyable/informative?

Paul

If you were weened on Pepin and Escoffier, you would probably not enjoy Smith.

For me, he was a a good introduction to cooking. (Although I stand by the Three Ancient Cuisines admiration).

[SethG]

Thanks, everyone.

[nessa]

I used to watch TFG on PBS and what sticks in my memory was how he turned me on to different cultures and cuisines. He was interesting, passionate and knowledgable. He certainly sparked my interest in cooking. I have never owned one of his cook books. I'm not for or against TFG, but I know from experience that folks can accuse any damn thing they want. 10 people can accuse anything they want. TFG had money, so who's to say that one person filed a complaint to get some of it and others joined in for the cash. Rumors, accusations and the like ruin people's careers. And yes, pedophelia has ruined peoples' loves. But there does not have to be a shred of evidence behind it. His career would have been over even if it did go to trial and he was found not guilty/acquitted or whatever the legal mumbo jumbo is for that. Folks remember the bad. Since there was no day in court, we don't know all the facts. Even if there were, we might not. Folks lie under oath all the time. I do know, that if I had children and they were molested, theres not enough money in the world to settle out of court. Or if I had been molested, same diff. But I'm vengful that way. He might have done what he was accused of. He might not have. The only ones who really know are the ones involved.

I'm greatful for his influence on my life, for what its worth.

[Bombdog]

But those charges, and I am not a lawyer, appear to have been served in civil court.

Why did no one press criminal charges against this guy?

I would imagine it is either a statute of limitation thing or the evidence wasn't strong enough for criminal charges. The burden of proof in civil court is of a lesser nature. Or a combination of both. Or neither.

What the hell do I know? I'm a retired K9 handler, not sex crimes investigator

[marie-louise]

... The one on our immigrant ancestors was a good read.

I bought this book a few years ago (actually, I think it was one of those free-when-you-spend-$40 at Jessica's Biscuit). I've never made anything from it, but I read it cover to cover. It was a great read; I learned a lot about different cultures that I'd never heard or seen written elsewhere.

[MGLloyd]

Used to love to watch the Frug.  Still use some recipes occasionally.

Became disgusted when I heard about his 'activities'.

But those charges, and I am not a lawyer, appear to have been served in civil court.

Why did no one press criminal charges against this guy?

If the stated accusations are true, the Frug should be spending hard time, not merely having to pay off a few families for his errant ways.

As a life-long resident of Seattle, I am quite familiar with the Smith case. The reason why no criminal charges were filed, was that by the time the victims came forward, the statute of limitations had long since run. Thus, no criminal charges could be filed, and a civil lawsuit was the only remedy. And of course, no monetary damages are awarded to the victims as a consequence of criminal charges.

Edited to add that a few years later, a leading judge in King County, Gary Little, committed suicide by revolver in his chambers, when his pedophile activities were about to be published in the Seattle Times. Judge Little had an even longer, and more icky history of activities then did Mr. Smith.

Edited March 30, 2004 by MGLloyd (log)

[Dignan]

I enjoyed the man's shows, and used to fight with my roommates in college over "nfl this week" that came on at the same time on wednesday mornings. I know no more about the accusations than the rest of us do -- they can be made with no collaboration and be very damaging -- but I'm sure sorry that he had to go down that way true or no.

There was an episode where he was grinding up some ice in a blender for some reason, and before he turned it on he said "Get the cat out of the room!" Meaning the noise would startle the cat if you had one in the kitchen. It led to a tradition amoungst my roommates and myself in college, so that when we were firing up the blender for some frozen margs, we'd first shout, "Get the cat out of the room!"

Edited March 30, 2004 by Dignan (log)

[HungryChris]

I too, enjoyed the man's shows until the later years. When he started commenting about different cultures as "wonderful people", I started rolling my eyes and avoiding his shows. He just ran out of fresh material, like they all do. I didn't know at the time that he was in search of "fresh talent". In the early years, he was good to watch, but he just wore it thin.

HC

[Mark Sommelier]

Personally, I never liked watching him. I met him once and he was a pompous ass.

[Brittany]

It has been some time ago when this happened and I am a little fuzzy on the details. As I remenber Jeff was a ordained minister who taught in a small norhtwest college. He started using food and recipes as a way of teaching his classes to make them more interesting. The F G M was born out of that.

Maybe someone else can fill in the details of my foggie memory. I do not think Jeff had any formal training.

Charlie

[KatieLoeb]

Personally, I never liked watching him. I met him once and he was a pompous ass.

I waited in line to have him sign one of my cookbooks when he made a local book signing appearance. He was indeed a rather nasty man. Short tempered and really rude to his fans that had waited a good long time to see him. I realize he might have been overscheduled, but he should have saved that wrath for his publisher and manager, not the public that had bought his book and no doubt helped put his kids through college.

I nonetheless enjoyed the shows because he was always pleasant on camera. I still really like the immigrant book. It has a lot of cuisines in there that often get ignored.

[mags]

Used to love to watch the Frug. Still use some recipes occasionally.

Became disgusted when I heard about his 'activities'.

But those charges, and I am not a lawyer, appear to have been served in civil court.

Why did no one press criminal charges against this guy?

If the stated accusations are true, the Frug should be spending hard time, not merely having to pay off a few families for his errant ways.

I wonder, too, about why no criminal charges were filed. Also, in reading the complaint, I'm really bothered by the "recovered memory" aspect of many of the allegations. In one instance after another, these guys "became aware for the first time that [they] suffered from mental and emotional disorders caused by" abuse that allegedly took place 20 years earlier.

As both a therapeutic tool and -- critically, in this instance -- as a tool for uncovering truth, "recovered memory" has been pretty consclusively discredited. But at the time these suits were brought, it was riding high. I don't know if "recovered memory" is actually at the heart of these dawning awarenesses of 20-year-old sexual abuse. But I find it hard to imagine any other scenario in which a man in his 30s would learn "for the first time" about damage -- emotional damage -- he allegedly suffered as a teenager. And that leads me to look very skeptically on the claims of abuse.

[purplewiz]

The Frug was an important part of my ability to cook - mainly because he was the first person I ever watched cook on TV and thought "hey, I can do that". He didn't have the intimidating technique - I remember very clearly watching him chop and onion and thinking "hey, those pieces are NOT all the same size!" He threw in more garlic if he wanted it. And that resonated with me.

One of the dishes he made on TV that stuck with me was the avocado and chicken mousse. So when I finally had the resources to make it, I was really excited. Sadly, the recipe did not live up to the hype in my mind - it was rather bland overall, even though it had a nice texture.

I always figured that he had withdrawn from public life after the settlement.

Marcia.

[slowday]

I wonder, too, about why no criminal charges were filed.  Also, in reading the complaint, I'm really bothered by the "recovered memory" aspect of many of the allegations.  In one instance after another, these guys "became aware for the first time that [they] suffered from mental and emotional disorders caused by" abuse that allegedly took place 20 years earlier. 

As was noted earlier in this thread, the statute of limitations on the sexual abuse elapsed and criminal proceedings were not possible. I also agree that recovered memory is an extremely rare phenomenon that has been used by people not qualified to judge its validity. However, I don't think that any of the men involved were claiming hidden memory, just isolating shame. Usually when the first person is willing to step forward the others realizing they are not alone also come forward. Its a kind of a familiar pattern.

The complaint on the smoking gun site described a pattern of alledged abuse of that occurred at the catering company. It said that Mr. Smith systematically hired these men under the pretense of employment and later used the employment as a way to pressure them into sexual acts. In many cases where there is no satisfaction in the criminal system the recourse is a civil trial for monetary damages. The O. J. Simpson civil case is an example.

Now I don't really know if Mr. Smith is guilty or not and I guess I really don't care. The only people who know for sure are Mr. Smith and his accusers and they apparently have settled and moved on. I do know that if I was one of the men claiming abuse I sure would rather have a just and private settlement than go through a public trial with a local celebrity.

BTW, the US Senate is thinking of extending the statute of limitations on sexual abuse cases, apparently because of the time it takes people to come forward once they reach their legal status to be able to file claims without parent or guardian.

BTW..The complaint says that the accusers realized for the first time in and around 1996 that they were suffering severe emotional effects from the alledged abuse. To me that doesn't mean they weren't aware of the alledged abuse, as they would have been with recovered memory, but that they weren't aware of the effects that the alledged abuse had on their emotional lives.

alleged slowday

Edited March 30, 2004 by slowday (log)

[SobaAddict70]

*ahem*

I think it would be helpful if folks could please keep in mind that the topic of this thread relates to Jeff Smith the TV chef and cookbook author, not Jeff Smith the alleged pedophile. Please try to keep discussion on topic.

Thank you and regards,

Soba

[wilewil]

"But those charges, and I am not a lawyer, appear to have been served in civil court.

Why did no one press criminal charges against this guy?"

Could it have anything to do with money? Civil courts award it and settlements can be reached. Only he and his accussers really know what happened, but payment of a settlement is interesting (especially when you are ruined anyway).

[mnebergall]

"But those charges, and I am not a lawyer, appear to have been served in civil court.

Why did no one press criminal charges against this guy?"

Could it have anything to do with money? Civil courts award it and settlements can be reached. Only he and his accussers really know what happened, but payment of a settlement is interesting (especially when you are ruined anyway).

In order for criminal charges to arise, first one has to convince a prosecutor that there is a case and then a grand jury has to be convinced that there is probable cause to believe that a crime has been committed and that a particular suspect committed that crime so that an indictment can be handed up. Obviously, given the age of the cases and the dubious memory of the witnesses issue, the prosecutor was not interested or a grand jury returned a no bill.

[MGLloyd]

In order for criminal charges to arise, first one has to convince a prosecutor that there is a case and then a grand jury has to be convinced that there is probable cause to believe that a crime has been committed and that a particular suspect committed that crime so that an indictment can be handed up. Obviously, given the age of the cases and the dubious memory of the witnesses issue, the prosecutor was not interested or a grand jury returned a no bill.

Geez, read the rest of the thread, will you? I live in Seattle and read every day in the local paper about Mr. Smith's legal troubles at the time. The first allegations as to Mr. Smith's activities came out many years after the time they allegedly occurred. None of the victims made any criminal or civil complaint at the time of occurrence. Under Washington state law at the time, the statute of limitations for bringing criminal charges had passed. Period.

The decision to not bring charges had nothing to do with the merits or demerits of the case, and should not be interpreted as a statement on Mr. Smith's guilt or innocence on any criminal charges. Under our law back then, criminal charges for these allegations were barred by the passage of time and could not be brought.

[Carolyn Tillie]

People, people, people! Please regard Soba's comments and put is discussion back towards food, please!

[russ parsons]

Personally, I never liked watching him. I met him once and he was a pompous ass.

yup, what he said (i should just post that after everything mark says). but i'm sure he is far from the first warm and folksy tv personality to be that way. more to the point, i honestly always found his food to be second-rate and much of his information even worse. still, that so many people who have now graduated to this website got their start watching him does say something for his contribution. maybe we should regard the frug as cuisine's "gateway drug."