When the food turned sour…
The other evening I was invited to attend an intimate dinner at an exclusive underground restaurant called Sotto Terra hosted by Food Network chef George Duran and Supermarket Guru Phillip Lempert. We were promised a delicious Italian 4-course meal and scintillating conversation on the latest food trends with other foodies. I was salivating at the thought of this meal and it was long due for a date night with my husband. He doesn’t often partake in my Blogger perks but he was definitely interested in this one.
Even more exciting was that I was allowed to offer this same amazing experience to one of my readers and their guest. My excitement was palpable. I was tweeting away, getting my friends to share and spread the news. When it was time to draw the winner, I was pleasantly surprised to see the entrant and winner (out of 119 entries) was none other than my children’s pediatrician and his wife (who is a loyal Mom Confessionals reader)!
When I congratulated my winner and gave her the details, I promised it was going to be an amazing night and they could acknowledge my husband and I or simply enjoy the meal between the two of them. I myself couldn’t wait for what promised to be a delicious meal. You see, life’s been a little rough these days for my family. My mother was recently diagnosed with cancer and I was desperately trying to study for my NCLEX, it was hard to find a balance between being supportive to the woman who gave me life and studying for an exam that would change the course of our future for my family. On Monday of this past week, I took my exam and the night before this dinner, I found out that I had passed — I was now and RN! My entire family had worked, supported me in my pursuit and it had finally paid off! A huge weight had lifted off my shoulders and finally allowed me to fully focus on my mother and her needs. I felt this dinner was going to be our brief moment to celebrate. My husband was excited. It’s not often that we take the time out sans children to just enjoy each other. I think we both really needed this.
The night of this exclusive dinner at Sotto Terra came. Despite the 4 hour chaos of trying to finding my sister at JFK after her plane landed but was not heard from, who flew home to be with our mother. I got home a half hour before I had to leave for dinner. I got dressed as quick as I could, let the kids reintroduce themselves to their Aunt who they hadn’t seen in months. I found my cleanest pressed pants and fancy top, put on a little make up even remembering to put on my earrings for a little sparkle. I was suppose to pick up my husband at 5:00pm but as I was running late, he graciously told me he would simply meet me downtown, allowing me not to have to detour through midtown and its traffic knowing being late is one of my biggest pet peeves. I got into the city and parked by 5:50pm. I couldn’t believe that I made it on time but couldn’t wait to get this dinner started.
I already knew this dinner was going to be hosted in a private brownstone and was thrilled to greet my guests right at the front door. We ooohed and aaaaahed at the decorations and set up. The wife was so excited to meet chef George Duran. I obviously hadn’t done my research on him, but knowing he was from the Food Network was all the validation I needed. I was sure we were in for a treat. I even drank a glass of sangria for the first time in years. I am typically not a drinker but this was a night of celebration. I sat and chatted with my guests and my husband. They told me how excited they were for this dinner. How they had gotten a sitter to watch their 4 children and he even left his practice early to make this dinner his wife was so eager for. She was a huge George Duran fan. She couldn’t believe that he was actually here with us!
We noshed on delicious endive salad bites. The mood in the air was light and cheerful. Moments later we descended down into the dining area. More oooohs and aaaaahs erupted. Lots of pictures were taken. For those who know me, I’m not an adventurous eater. I love my basics and usually will never veer off my favorites but this was an experience and I was going for it. I didn’t snub one dish. I drank up the Watermelon and Cucumber Gazpacho shots. Chowed down on the Strawberry Arugula Salad with Honey Balsamic Vinaigrette. Devoured the Herbed Cheesy Garlic Bread. I was a little disappointed that the main course was simply Lasagna but I was sure that we were in for a treat at the hands of chef George Duran. When it came out, it was nothing spectacular, it was good, I wasn’t wowed like I was with the other dishes but it was good. I cleansed my palate on a Mojito Granita shot, there seemed to be a lot of alcohol consumption on my part, well a lot for someone who never drinks. I obsessed over the Razzleberry Pie a la mode and then the bomb dropped.
Our entire meal was a SHAM! We were unwilling participants in a bait-and-switch for Marie Callender’s new frozen three cheese lasagna and there were cameras watching our reactions. I’ve got a sense of humor so I was okay with it and I had been enjoying myself up until that point, but I could tell that the rest of the participants were not. Everyone feigned weak shock and faked approval of the frozen meal. My guests were eager to leave all of a sudden and refused to sign the release. I felt awful! The conversation had fallen to an awkward silence as our hosts tried to fill in the empty air. When suggested we move the conversation back upstairs, everyone took themselves upstairs and out the door, include myself, my husband and our guests. I must have been still somewhat hopeful when my guest asked me so is Sotto Terra real or not? I said I thought it still might be a project that chef George and Phil were working on. I realize how stupid and gullible I must have sounded later.
The first thing out of my husband’s mouth was waste of time and I was reduced to tears. Not only had I been duped but now my husband was mad at me and my guests/pediatrician must of thought of me terribly. Its even crossed my mind that I may need to find a new pediatrician, I was that embarrassed. My only comfort was as we left, his wife said to me, Thank God he at least cooked the rest of the meal. But that also hinted at the major disappointment.
Always trying to think positive, I still felt I learned a lot that night. I learned about Community Supported Agriculture – CSA’s and how to be an informed consumer of seafood through an iPhone app called Seafood Watch. But I was gently reminded this morning that this was an example of PR agencies undervaluing bloggers and their lack of care for my online reputation. I was set up to promote this event to my readers and as such, when I’m excited I love to share. I put my name out there based on the information I received from them and got burned in a big way. If only I had took the time to check my twitter feed while taking my mom to Sloan Kettering and picking my sister up from the airport, I might have caught the warnings but I had to be offline to put my family first.
I want to deeply apologize to my winner and her husband, my children’s beloved pediatrician. They were expecting an amazing meal and a true experience at the hands of famous Food Network chef they were fans of and were left with a really foul taste in their mouths. I too was completely surprised and I promise you, had I known, I would not have encouraged you to sacrifice your valuable time and money only to be tricked. I am profoundly embarrassed and hope that you will accept my sincerest apologies.
Imagine you’re invited to a free meal with some lasagna as the main course. You take a few bites, go “This is tasty” and proceed to chow away. At the end of the meal, with cameras rolling, the hosts of the meal go “Surprise! There was human meat in that lasagna! You said it was tasty, right?”
But hey, free meal, and this is a first world problem so bloggers don’t have a right to be upset since there’s people starving in the world, right?
Whine much? You were offered a meal and served a meal. I guess your opinion doesn’t mean as much as you thought it might.
Your righteous indignation is amusing. You’re a blogger. Creating a login and password doesn’t make you a “food expert”. Get over yourself.
Jaysus. Food bloggers will cry about anything, won’t they? You blog about food. Big whoop.
You went for a Food Network chef and you got Marie Callendar’s. Sounds like you got what you went for.
I admire your restraint in how you’ve reacted to being tricked, having your time wasted, and being humiliated in front of your guests. Good for you for speaking up, and preventing others from being tricked in the same way. Clearly previous commenters have all the time in the world to waste, and don’t care at all what they eat.
Here’s a link to NYT coverage on this, via Food52:
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/09/07/business/media/when-bloggers-dont-follow-the-script-to-conagras-chagrin.html
You seem to be a pretentious shallow person trying to be a somebody. The only SHAM was that you opened your big mouth about how important you are and now you are trying to back peddle for all of the things you said. Since your are a self described foodie you know what “Eating Crow” means. Bon Appetit
Wow, I’m astounded at the stupidity and callousness of some of the previous commenters. Taste aside, most food bloggers are concerned with the actual quality of food: Lack of additives, excess sodium, how the meat was raised, etc. Suppose somebody had an allergy to additives? (Which the bloggers could reasonably assume to be absent from a chef-prepared meal.) The organizers of the event owe you all a huge apology plus a big night on the town at a really nice restaurant.
That was quite revealing! You and the rest of your “chemical” fearing naturalistas have been exposed for the frauds that you are. Take a basic science class sometime and stop whining about imaginary problems. No one can take you seriously after this.. I bet the cameras show you loving every piece of that lasagna!
There’s a reason why people read labels: the fact that you can’t tell by taste that a dinner is loaded with preservatives doesn’t mean they aren’t there.
I second Dragonmamma/Naomi. Thank you for sharing this story and please don’t listen to the negative comments. As far as I’m concerned, your anger is more than justified.
This is the epitome of first world problems. Seriously, I mean sure its underhanded, but cry more. If you don’t want your frozen cheesy food give it to me. I’m poor and wouldn’t mind a free meal occasionally. Your husband is also a dweeb for getting mad at you. I would have gotten mad at him for putting the blame on me. I hate that. It’s obnoxious.
I guess your influential list of 21 blog readers and 17 subscribers will be so influential over this stupid whiny post. Shame shame to you as there are many many hungry people in the world. I think we need a real life I Am Legend scenerio to have people be grateful for what they have.
Wow, what a whiny ungrateful b*tch! It was all in good fun and you complain that your food wasn’t some 5 star experience and that the pediatrician was sad? Here’s an idea, look into and see the faces of the millions of starving kids and families in other countries, and then wonder how awful and gut wrenching your ignorant 1st world problems are. Instead of blogging about free food you were served, do something to help the people in the world who are in REAL distress. Silly ass useless excuse for a human being… you ma’am, are what’s wrong with this world.
The vehemency to this story seemed quite appalling. Then I had to wonder if it was also calculated. These hateful commentators are clearly not usual readers. Since you were indeed set up from the beginning, I propose these comments to be the final steps to the company’s set-up: fake commentators to discredit your reveal. The point is you were duped and made complicit in furthering the deception. Your outrage is well placed. Thank-you for having the courage to tell your story and expose the tactics used.
I know it’s difficult, but pity these shells of a person who’s job is more distasteful than porn.
Personally, I’ve always had an issue with bloggers who critique ‘free’ meals, how is it possible to stay truly unbiased, most all of the bloggers I’m aware of say they have nothing but their ethics and reputation. In a case like this, you can’t have both.
As far as admiring a Food Network chef, it’s all about big business, corporate branding and money, you’d be well served to read a cookbook rather than watch the endless infomercials on the Food Channel.
Lastly, the 3rd course on the menu you posted (photo above) lists ‘seasoned beef’ as a component, no chef in his right mind would ever put ‘seasoned beef’ on a high end menu, didn’t this all get covered with the Taco Bell fiasco?
Holy wow, those are some comments.
I think that maybe a savvy person could have read between the lines — whenever an industry invites you to learn about trends from stars, you can safely assume you’re signing up to sit through a marketing pitch.
Still, I’d be livid, especially if I invited someone I respect to join me. It isn’t pompous to be embarrassed that you were duped into inviting friends to a marketing stunt. The comment above that calls you “a pretentious shallow person trying to be a somebody” almost nails it, too: that is exactly what stings about it. That’s about how I’d feel anyway, like I was just revealed as a rube. I think it stinks.
I’m stunned by some of the comments on this post. Clearly written by the agency trolls who concocted this event. No one who understands food blogs would ever utter such ignorant nonsense.
Any decent food stylist can make crappy food look good. The fact that they manipulated your politeness and courtesy to the host shows the agency and Marie Callendar foods up for what they really are – another deceptive mega-corp production owned by Con-Agra.
I detect no whining here. The blogger was invited to a dinner and asked to bring friends. They were not informed that this was a blinded experiment. They were effectively experimented on without prior consent. What was done was rude. To conflate her complaint with starvation in the world is asinine.
Bait and Switch. Surprising that a brand and agency of their respective calibers would ‘use’ a food blogger in this manner. Blogger relations are a two way street–its a dialogue. That’s the value. Bloggers have followings because they are good at publishing content. They keep their followings because their readers trust them. Any brand that wants to engage a blogger’s readers through the blogger must understand trust. The readers trust the blogger. The brand wants the benefit of that trust to be transferred to their brand through the blogger ‘introducing’ the readers to the brand. Yet the entire premise was fake–tough to build trust upon that