This Just In ...

Culinary no-no #285

Posted by Kevin Fischer on July 8, 2012

Culinary no-no's

THERE ARE THOUSANDS AND THOUSANDS OF
FOOD BLOGS, BUT ONLY ONE CULINARY NO-
NO!

This week, a Culinary no-no of…

Proportion.

We cross the ocean, and to get you in the proper mood, let’s cue the band.

The Summer Olympic Games begin in London on July 27^th. Hungry athletes and fans will be treated to a familiar spot.

Above photos: Oli Scarff / Getty Images


Those are pictures of the newest McDonald's at Olympic Park in London. It’s also the world’s biggest Golden Arches and one of four McDonald’s restaurants located in Olympic Park.

Let’s go to the tape: This huge eatery will have a staff of 500, seat 1,500 and serve up to 14,000 people a day.

Great idea, right? Not according to some who’ve obviously been Michelle-ized.





That's the London Assembly.

The 25 Assembly Members hold the Mayor accountable by examining his decisions and actions to ensure he delivers on his promises. Assembly Members are elected at the same time as the Mayor. Eleven represent the whole capital and 14 are elected by constituencies.

This political body recently voted to call for a ban on Olympic sponsors, i.e. McDonald’s and Coca-Cola that produce high calorie food and beverages. The Assembly’s motion urges the International Olympic Committee to adopt strict sponsorship criteria in order to outlaw advertising of products linked to child obesity.




That’s London Assembly member Jenny Jones who came up with the motion to ban. Not surprisingly, Jones is a member of the Green Party.

“London won the right to host the 2012 Games with the promise to deliver a legacy of more active, healthier children across the world,” said Jones. Yet the same International Olympic Committee that awarded the games to London persists in maintaining sponsorship deals with the purveyors of high calorie junk that contributes to the threat of an obesity epidemic.”

Wait a minute. You don’t want the world’s most famous, popular restaurant at this big-time world event?

Yikes.

Awkward.

Petty.

Embarrassing.

Downright stupid.

Reminds me of a news conference I covered in the 1980’s while working at WUWM. Jane and Lloyd Pettit announced they were going to build a new sports and entertainment arena as a donation to Milwaukee. Immediately following the news conference, all kinds of elected officials were huffing and puffing that they were going to demand a specific location for the Bradley Center.

The proverbial gift horse’s mouth was being gazed into. Months of wrangling over the site ensued.

Back to the 2012 London Olympics. McDonald’s is one of 11 corporations that comprise the TOP worldwide sponsorship programme managed by the International Olympic Committee (IOPC). Coca-Cola is also one of the 11. Revenue for the Olympic Movement is generated through the TOP programme. From 2009-2012, the TOP programme brought in $957 million, a tremendous and reliable source of stability and viability for the 2010 Winter Games in Vancouver and the 2012 Olympic Games in London.

Coca-Cola has been one of the best friends of the Olympics, having sponsored the 1928 Olympic Games in Amsterdam and every Olympic Games since. The soda giant has the longest continuous partnership with the Olympic Movement. McDonald’s has been an official fixture since 1976. The website www.olympic.org says, "At the 1968 Olympic Winter Games, McDonald's airlifted hamburgers to U.S. athletes competing in Grenoble, France, who reported they were homesick for McDonald's food. Since then, the company has served its menu of choice and variety to millions of athletes, their families and fans. In 2012, McDonald's announced the continuation of its TOP sponsorship for the next eight consecutive years through the 2020 Games."

How critical are sponsors like McDonald’s and Coca-Cola? From www.olympic.org:

Sponsorship provides valuable financial resources to the Olympic Family.

Sponsors provide support for the staging of the Olympic Games and the operations of the Olympic Movement in the form of products, services, technology, expertise and staff deployment.

Sponsors provide direct support for the training and development of Olympic athletes and hopefuls
around the world, as well as essential services for athletes participating in the Games.

Sponsors provide essential products and services for broadcasters, journalists, photographers and other media.

Sponsorship activation enhances the Olympic Games experience for spectators and provides the youth of the world with opportunities to experience the Olympic ideals at the global and local levels. Sponsor ship support contributes to the success of the educational, environmental, cultural and youth-oriented initiatives of the Olympic Movement.

Sponsors develop advertising and promotional activities that help to promote the Olympic ideals, heighten public awareness of the Olympic Games and increase support for the Olympic athletes.

Coca-Cola contends three quarters of its sales at the Games will be for water, juice or sugar-free drinks. McDonald’s will have healthy options available like porridge, bagels and salads. A Golden Arches spokesperson correctly says, “Ultimately it’s up to individuals to make the right food, drink, and activity choices for themselves.”

Coca-Cola and McDonald’s will not be forced from the Games. The London Assembly’s non-binding resolution has no authority, making it not worth the parchment it was written on, making the members appear foolish.

I'm betting throngs of sports fans will be darn glad they have alternatives to...





Shepherds Pie.

Instead of playing the nanny game, the London Assembly needs to eat crow and say the following:

1) Thank you, Coca-Cola and McDonald’s, and…

2) Yes, I will have fries with my Coke.


CULINARY NO-NO BONUSES

Taxpayer-backed free lunch program feeds kids in need...and those who aren't.


No way! No way would I eat that! Disgusting! Umm...my keyboard's all wet.