veg*n trust, betrayal, and compassion

[Guest guest]

Tammy is quite correct in saying that the issue is

trust. Given that issue, it is unfortunate that both Shangri-La and Bok Choi

Garden pose particular

problems for the Jewish veg*n community.

 

Bok Choi Garden states on

its menu that its food is consistent with kosher laws, thus giving the

impression that it is a kosher restaurant. In fact, Bok Choi has no “hecksher”

(independent certification that it is in compliance with kosher laws). Without

a hecksher, it is impossible to know whether it is or is not truly

kosher. When this matter was brought to the attention of Ken, the manager

of Bok Choi, by a VeggieJews’ leader who asked him to remove any reference

to being kosher from his menus, he would not do so. The best he would do

was to promise to add a piece of paper to cover up the reference to “kosher”

compliance on the evening that the VeggieJews group planned to host a dinner

there. As a result, VeggieJews cancelled its planned dinner.

 

Shangri-La poses an even bigger problem. It is the

only Bay Area veg*n restaurant with a hecksher and it is located in an area of

the City with a large Jewish population. Accordingly, VeggieJews used to

host events there. But we had a problem when we were told at first that

their fortune cookies were vegan and then later told on another occasion that

they contained egg. Tammy’s report that the Pie Pa Tofu Balls at

Shangri-La were promoted as vegan but turned out not to be is

disconcerting. These two discrepancies may sound like small matters but, once

again, the issue is trust. Sadly, there is no trustworthy heckshered

veg*n restaurant in the Bay Area.

 

Based upon Winnie’s post about her recent conversation

with William, the owner of Shangri-La, it is apparent that he is uninformed about

the conduct of his business and fails to provide proper supervision to insure

that his customers are treated with honesty and respect. It is also

unfortunate that Ken, the manager of Bok

Choi Garden,

has so little respect for his customers that he misrepresents his restaurant as

kosher when it is apparently not. Accordingly, San Francisco veg*ns eat at these two

restaurants at their own risk. In order to protect our members from

misleading information that may cause them to violate their values, the

VeggieJews group will no longer hosts events at either restaurant.

 

Thanks to Tammy for bringing this issue to the attention of

the Bay Area veg*n community.

 

Pete Cohon, founder

VeggieJews