vailpass
06-25-2010, 11:22 AM
Mesa diners not deterred by questions over source of lion meat
East Valley Tribune
updated 10:16 a.m. MT, Fri., June 25, 2010
The international spotlight is burning even brighter on a Mesa restaurant serving African lion burgers after a revelation that its meat supplier was once convicted of selling federally protected animals.
Il Vinaio ordered 10 pounds of lion meat thats described as farm-raised on the invoice, restaurant owner Cameron Selogie said Thursday while showing the paperwork.
But Selogie said he cannot guarantee the meat is farm-raised and therefore legal after CNNMoney.com raised questions about the meats background.
Im still trying to get clarification on this, Selogie said.
The controversy spawned threats against the restaurant, hundreds of supportive and opposing e-mails, protests and a little levity in the form of a sign at a neighboring business in downtown.
Kirks Sports Grill posted two signs directed at Il Vinaio reading Save a lion. Eat a Veggie Burger.
Selogie took it all in stride Thursday as he broke away from a frenzy of inquiries.
This is by far the most exotic thing we have on the menu, he said. We have no intention of going even further.
He insists he never sought publicity out of what was supposed to be a tie-in with the World Cup taking place in South Africa. He had planned to pair wine with an unusual meat, like he has done with wild boar or rabbit.
Looking at a list from his meat supplier, he spotted hippo, boa constrictor and, of course, the lion.
Hed heard good things about lion and figured the African animal was a natural match to the sporting events location. He selected a South African wine to complement it.
Selogie e-mailed a newsletter of the event to customers, one of whom is an animal rights activist who alerted animal rights groups and news organizations.
Selogie said he was bothered to see a news report about the background of Czimers Game & Sea Foods, an Illinois meat supplier. Owner Richard Czimer was convicted in 2003 of selling federally protected tigers and leopards, Chicago newspapers reported at the time. He acknowledged selling what he labeled as lion meat that actually was tigers, mountain lions, lions, and a liger a cross between a tiger and lion.
A news report says Czimer doesnt own a farm but is a butcher.
Maricopa County health officials were scheduled to inspect Selogies paperwork Thursday. He said he did everything he reasonably could to check the meats background before he bought it.
I felt we did our due diligence, he said. I felt it was legal.
Selogie served 20 burgers Wednesday and planned to serve another 20 Thursday, all by reservation only. He said he informed patrons about the recent questions in case they wanted to change their mind.
They ate it anyway and they loved it, he said.
About 100 customers were on a list to be called for dinner in case anybody backed out, he said. One man who had eaten lion before even offered $60 for a burger, Selogie said, but was denied because he wasnt on the list.
Ten protestors showed up Wednesday evening. Next door, Kirk Hofmann knew of the protest plans and figured hed try to drum up business with his own promotion for veggie burgers. He told Selogie about the signs before posting them and Selogie was fine with it.
If people dont want to support Il Vinaio, I want them to at least support downtown Mesa, he said.
Hofmann sold six burgers to protesters.
We didnt have that on the menu before, he said. I had one for the first time yesterday and liked it. I think its going to be on our regular menu.
As for Il Vinaios menu, Selogie said hed consider lion again but only if he had better verification of its origin. The Humane Society had asked him not to serve the lion after news reports questioned the source, but Selogie said he wanted to continue because the idea started with giving patrons what they want.
He will donate $2 for each lion burger to a no-kill animal shelter and is asking opponents to match that.
Selogie said he was disheartened to know how much attention the meat has gotten after going through Wednesday and hearing of a setback in the Gulf of Mexico oil spill, where a containment device was knocked out of place and resulted in more leakage.
I think its a shame theres more attention to 10 pounds of lions meat than whats happening in the gulf, he said.
Contact writer: (480) 898-6548 or ggroff@evtrib.com
URL: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/37917426/ns/local_news-phoenix_az/
East Valley Tribune
updated 10:16 a.m. MT, Fri., June 25, 2010
The international spotlight is burning even brighter on a Mesa restaurant serving African lion burgers after a revelation that its meat supplier was once convicted of selling federally protected animals.
Il Vinaio ordered 10 pounds of lion meat thats described as farm-raised on the invoice, restaurant owner Cameron Selogie said Thursday while showing the paperwork.
But Selogie said he cannot guarantee the meat is farm-raised and therefore legal after CNNMoney.com raised questions about the meats background.
Im still trying to get clarification on this, Selogie said.
The controversy spawned threats against the restaurant, hundreds of supportive and opposing e-mails, protests and a little levity in the form of a sign at a neighboring business in downtown.
Kirks Sports Grill posted two signs directed at Il Vinaio reading Save a lion. Eat a Veggie Burger.
Selogie took it all in stride Thursday as he broke away from a frenzy of inquiries.
This is by far the most exotic thing we have on the menu, he said. We have no intention of going even further.
He insists he never sought publicity out of what was supposed to be a tie-in with the World Cup taking place in South Africa. He had planned to pair wine with an unusual meat, like he has done with wild boar or rabbit.
Looking at a list from his meat supplier, he spotted hippo, boa constrictor and, of course, the lion.
Hed heard good things about lion and figured the African animal was a natural match to the sporting events location. He selected a South African wine to complement it.
Selogie e-mailed a newsletter of the event to customers, one of whom is an animal rights activist who alerted animal rights groups and news organizations.
Selogie said he was bothered to see a news report about the background of Czimers Game & Sea Foods, an Illinois meat supplier. Owner Richard Czimer was convicted in 2003 of selling federally protected tigers and leopards, Chicago newspapers reported at the time. He acknowledged selling what he labeled as lion meat that actually was tigers, mountain lions, lions, and a liger a cross between a tiger and lion.
A news report says Czimer doesnt own a farm but is a butcher.
Maricopa County health officials were scheduled to inspect Selogies paperwork Thursday. He said he did everything he reasonably could to check the meats background before he bought it.
I felt we did our due diligence, he said. I felt it was legal.
Selogie served 20 burgers Wednesday and planned to serve another 20 Thursday, all by reservation only. He said he informed patrons about the recent questions in case they wanted to change their mind.
They ate it anyway and they loved it, he said.
About 100 customers were on a list to be called for dinner in case anybody backed out, he said. One man who had eaten lion before even offered $60 for a burger, Selogie said, but was denied because he wasnt on the list.
Ten protestors showed up Wednesday evening. Next door, Kirk Hofmann knew of the protest plans and figured hed try to drum up business with his own promotion for veggie burgers. He told Selogie about the signs before posting them and Selogie was fine with it.
If people dont want to support Il Vinaio, I want them to at least support downtown Mesa, he said.
Hofmann sold six burgers to protesters.
We didnt have that on the menu before, he said. I had one for the first time yesterday and liked it. I think its going to be on our regular menu.
As for Il Vinaios menu, Selogie said hed consider lion again but only if he had better verification of its origin. The Humane Society had asked him not to serve the lion after news reports questioned the source, but Selogie said he wanted to continue because the idea started with giving patrons what they want.
He will donate $2 for each lion burger to a no-kill animal shelter and is asking opponents to match that.
Selogie said he was disheartened to know how much attention the meat has gotten after going through Wednesday and hearing of a setback in the Gulf of Mexico oil spill, where a containment device was knocked out of place and resulted in more leakage.
I think its a shame theres more attention to 10 pounds of lions meat than whats happening in the gulf, he said.
Contact writer: (480) 898-6548 or ggroff@evtrib.com
URL: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/37917426/ns/local_news-phoenix_az/