August Vancouver Magazine

[D. Peckham]

As I do most months I picked up a copy Vancouver Magazine today and had a chance to read it with my morning coffee before I went to work. I thought that the article Jamie Maw wrote on " few many fish in the sea" was correct and well written but I did have one problem with it. After I finished the article I browsed through the section where different restaurants have full page ads about them. What I found kind of funny is that of the restaurants one had Chilean Sea Bass on the menu in the magazine and three others had tuna in the photos of their food. I also found it funny that Mr Maw was basically telling customers to voice their concerns about sustainabilty to chefs and managers but wasn't going to turn down money from restaurants to run ads in the magazine to make the point of sustainabilty that he believes in so much hit home with said chefs and managers. Just a funny observation.

[~cayenne~]

As I do most months I picked up a copy Vancouver Magazine today and had a chance to read it with my morning coffee before I went to work.  I thought that the article Jamie Maw wrote on " few many fish in the sea" was correct and well written but I did have one problem with it.  After I finished the article I browsed through the section where different restaurants have full page ads about them.  What I found kind of funny is that of the restaurants one had Chilean Sea Bass on the menu in the magazine and three others had tuna in the photos of their food.  I also found it funny that Mr Maw was basically telling customers to voice their concerns about sustainabilty to chefs and managers but wasn't going to turn down money from restaurants to run ads in the magazine to make the point of sustainabilty that he believes in so much hit home with said chefs and managers.  Just a funny observation.

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Although I completely agree regarding the sustainability issue, is Jamie responsible for the advertising in the magazine? Even if he is not however, better communication between front end and back end staff would be appropriate. Also, is all tuna out of question? Sorry, I know this has been discussed before, but I can't remember off hand which type or if any type of tuna is deemed acceptable to consume.

[kontemporary]

I think albacore tuna is safe to consume, just not ahi? Also need some further clarification on this one..

[Keith Talent]

All this illustrates is that the editorial and sales departments work independently. If you want to take the mag to task, do so for using the word 'burbs on the front cover. I look forward to "dude" and "whoah" next month. If I was Mr. Maw, I'd be praying that Keanu Reeves isn't interested in going into food writing.

[jamiemaw]

D. Peckham I also found it funny that Mr Maw was basically telling customers to voice their concerns about sustainabilty to chefs and managers but wasn't going to turn down money from restaurants to run ads in the magazine to make the point of sustainabilty that he believes in so much hit home with said chefs and managers. Just a funny observation.

-cayenne-  Even if he is not however, better communication between front end and back end staff would be appropriate.

Keith Talent  All this illustrates is that the editorial and sales departments work independently. If you want to take the mag to task, do so for using the word 'burbs on the front cover.

The interwoven ironies of this thread expose several issues:

1. Keith got it right. In any publication of (reasonable) integrity there must be an absolute (church and state) separation between advertising and editorial. This is just one firewall that ensures independence. I have no idea who is going to advertise nor what product or service they might choose to promote. I daresay that's not always the case with some (smaller) publications where a lesser overhead may not allow same--i.e. where the publisher is also orchestrating ad sales and assigning or even writing the editorial. So, with great respect -cayenne-, I would take issue with the statement "Better communication between front end and back end staff would be appropriate." Chilean sea bass is still--strictly speaking--legal no matter how loudly I and others might argue that it should not be served on outdoor patios.

2. There remains significant ignorance about the service of many endangered or commercially extinct products for all the reasons cited in the article. Please refer to the websites quoted in the article, especially for the Monterrey Aquarium and Vancouver Aquarium Ocean Wise program.

3. I actually wrote two articles on this issue. The first was a much more technical treatise. I threw it out. What you read was (I hope) a much more approachable essay on the issues and recommendations about what you can do, so . . .

4. The ignorance still extant in the marketplace can only be remediated by journalists and consumers like you ensuring that the chef/proprietor or supplier in question becomes informed of the peril. So, as the article indicates, either don’t grace the restaurant, fish monger or wholesale supplier at all, or, much better, talk to them to explain the facts (once you know them) and your concern. I’ve found that most are entirely reasonable and that when they understand the seriousness of the issue, will seek a way to replace Chilean sea bass or other endangered fish with another, sustainable item.

5. It’s blue fin tuna that is severely threatened and you shouldn’t look kindly upon restaurants that serve it. Ahi (yellow fin) is under some pressure because of its popularity but from a sustainability stance is alright to eat even if it’s such a rampant cliché. Albacore is in good supply. I happen to really enjoy albacore sushi, especially as velvet will be such a major fashion theme this fall.

Now excuse me. Have to go 'burb the baby.

Edited August 14, 2005 by jamiemaw (log)

[jamiemaw]

All this illustrates is that the editorial and sales departments work independently. If you want to take the mag to task, do so for using the word 'burbs on the front cover. I look forward to "dude" and "whoah" next month. If I was Mr. Maw, I'd be praying that Keanu Reeves isn't interested in going into food writing.

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Keith, first, our apologies. We really should have been much more sensitive to you. Second, well there really is no second, is there? Unless it's the Burquitlam-Whalley triangle.

Yours in deep chagrin,

Jamie

Edited August 17, 2005 by jamiemaw (log)

[Keith Talent]

See? What other mag can you bitch about the editorial content and receive a personalised apology right from an editor? Not many I'd wager. Western Magazine of the Year? Nah, with customer service like that it should bve UNIVERSE magazine of the year. I'll be forwarding a list of stories I'd like to see appear in upcoming issues, I trust as reconcilliation you'll endevour to run as many as possible. Just to give a heads up, here's a sampling I'd like you to get started on right away; Typhoon vs. Monson, why one needed to go. Spectra's next concept, The Green Door, we take you behind the scenes. Vancouvers Drunkest Chef. Vanmag uncovers a Hummer driver that didn't aquire it via the grow-op route. 10 Sustainable aquatic Nematodes like to grill, plus the VQA wines that accompany them the best.

[jamiemaw]

See? What other mag can you bitch about the editorial content and receive a personalised apology right from an editor? Not many I'd wager. Western Magazine of the Year? Nah, with customer service like that it should bve UNIVERSE magazine of the year. I'll be forwarding a list of stories I'd like to see appear in upcoming issues, I trust as reconcilliation you'll endevour to run as many as possible. Just to give a heads up, here's a sampling I'd like you to get started on right away; Typhoon vs. Monson, why one needed to go. Spectra's next concept, The Green Door, we take you behind the scenes. Vancouvers Drunkest Chef. Vanmag uncovers a Hummer driver that didn't aquire it via the grow-op route. 10 Sustainable aquatic Nematodes like to grill, plus the VQA wines that accompany them the best.

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Me thinks we should hire you. How do you feel about a quick 3,000 words on 'Leer Factor: Three Alarming Things To Do With Milan's Tomato Horn Worms'. Or 'The Stoli Vanilla Martini That Changed My Life'.

Your call,

J.

[Keith Talent]

'The Stoli Vanilla Martini That Changed My Life" would be way better suited to any number of Lift bar regulars.