Foie Gras Fine

Foie Gras Fine

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Chicago handed out its first foie gras fine today. Doug Sohn, owner of Hot Doug’s, was ordered to pay 250 dollars.

He pleaded guilty to selling foie gras hot dogs. But he’s not the only chef who’s been serving the delicacy. Chicago Public Radio’s Adriene Hill reports.

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It’s been more than 6 months since the city said restaurants couldn’t sell the goose or duck liver. Aldermen said foie gras prodution is too cruel to animals.

The ban hasn’t stopped the chef at Cyrano’s Bistro in Chicago’s river north neighborhood.

Duran: We serve it as a garnish, we don’t charge for it. It’s like free.

And that may be why, Didier Durand says, the City’s Health Department’s hasn’t hassled him.

Duran: They leave us alone. It looks like the law is badly written, and thus very hard to enforce.

A spokesman from the department says if restaurants aren’t selling it, they aren’t breaking the law. And he had a hard time coming up with the exact number of warnings the department has issued. Why? He says the ban is just low on the priority list.

I’m Adriene Hill, Chicago Public Radio.