The local food and beverage community is frothing and stewing about the piece written by Post and Courier columnist Ken Burger on Sunday about “getting trapped in F&B.”
A recap of his more incendiary points:
Students get sucked into the food-and-beverage business to earn spending money, then find themselves trapped. It’s a young person’s game. It’s addictive. And it makes you feel like you ought to be doing more with your life than asking people if they want more sweet tea. Once the high wears off, it’s just a crummy job. Sexual harassment is common. The after-hours party scene is fueled by alcohol and drugs. It’s quick money that requires little training. It can be physically and mentally demanding, it can also be demeaning.
On Tuesday, Charleston Grill G.M. Mickey Bakst, a lifer who just couldn’t jump to a job in the real world if Burger is to be believed, dispatched a letter to the editor of the P&C, defending the honor of his profession.
His kicker:
Yes, Mr. Burger, you are right about some things, there are drugs and alcohol abusers in our industry, there are people who party all night long and there are those who never finish. I ask you, though, are there any industries where those things don’t exist? Will you malign each of them as you did the people who make up the wonderful F&B industry that is so important to our town?
Since then, the comment boards, Facebook walls, and Twitter messages have been lit up by angry F&Bers. There’s even an “I dare Ken Burger to eat out in Charleston” challenge out there.
Today, we encountered a chalkboard at Tattooed Moose scrawled with a simple message: You suck Ken Burger.
If Burger isn’t careful, the angry mob may just march on Columbus Street with (symbolic) burgers on stakes.
Keep the City Paper free We don't have a paywall. Each week's printed issue is free. We're local, independent and free. Let's keep it this way. Please consider a donation of $100 to keep the City Paper free. Donate: chscp.us