Eric Ripert Buys Radiation Detector To Test Seafood At Le Bernardin

Chef Eric Ripert of New York seafood mecca Le Bernardin spoke with CNN's John King about his recent purchase of a dosimeter to detect radiation levels in the fish he serves. As he suspected he found "absolutely nothing" but finds the instrument helpful in allaying customers' concerns in the wake of Japan's ongoing nuclear emergency.

Ripert explains that each night four or five tables had been asking questions and wanting more information about the fish. He adds that although he was getting hamachi and kampachi from the south of Japan, he has stopped to due the price increase and the current difficultly in obtaining the product. He still uses other Japanese ingredients and has no intention of taking them off the menu.

The New York Times reports that Sushi Yasuda plans to follow in Ripert's footsteps, and that many other food companies are struggling with how to assure customers that their products are safe.

Watch Eric Ripert's CNN appearance below for more on serving seafood from Japan:

Comments

[savvysearch]

12:09 PM on 05/08/2011

By the time it arrives, people will have moved on to the next scare.

[CSAcitizen]

06:23 PM on 04/30/2011

You won't think this is a stunt, when in a few months you begin to suffer the results of radiation and are getting sick. Some folks are just too trusting for their own good ! Typical Americans, always living in denial. Well some of us Americans are wise to what is really going on - - - for years now. Japan's radiation, now circling the globe, has just put it into high gear.

[CSAcitizen]

06:19 PM on 04/30/2011

NO one ever says WHAT radiation detector they are using OR where they got it. Would be nice to be able to get one that you do not have to spend hundreds of dollars on. They use to have real good ones for $40-$50 that registered all 3 types of radiation, which is what you need. We all will need them sooner or later since we HAVE BEEN pelted with radiation for years that no one has been told of. Govt does not want you to know how much radiation they are pouring out on you. That is why both Canada and the US have DELIBERATELY DISABLED their detectors ! Population Control agenda you know.

[Mondayboy]

11:25 PM on 04/12/2011

If there is no geiger counter at legal seafoods I am not buying :)

[LonosCurse]

01:10 PM on 04/12/2011

Publicity stunt.

[ewb2001]

06:48 PM on 04/11/2011

Put the stuff next to a bag of microwave popcorn, if it pops, throw it out! This is ridiculous! This is like worrying about air pollution from your car as you are driving off a cliff. People should be much more concerned how oceans are being killed all across the globe! What about all the chemicals being dumped into the words oceans? What about the islands of debris & trash floating in the oceans? This makes a great headline, but does not really matter.

[JerseyHooligan]

01:26 PM on 04/11/2011

the people with bad things to say about this diligent act of quality assurances, then they are just jealous because they eat at TGI friday's or Tim Hortons and would not know fine food if it was thrown in their face.

[Mondayboy]

11:24 PM on 04/12/2011

Jersey, you are truly a hooligan :)

[PoloniumMan]

08:58 AM on 04/10/2011

I would have very little confidence in my meal not being contaminated based on chef waiving a detector over a it, however if the patrons feel better, and he has the money, I guess he can buy what ever toy he wants.

[sharooni]

07:45 PM on 04/09/2011

Ooooh la la! He is so stunningly handsome, with that fine boudoir-voiced accent, that I forget what a fine chef he is. And, apparently, a really decent guy.

[lightnessandjoy]

02:04 PM on 04/09/2011

You put it right next to your salmonella testing kit?

[dayzee10]

02:18 PM on 04/08/2011

This guy is ahead of the curve. A LARGE amount of our seafood is imported from Asian waters so at least one person cares about what he serves his patrons. Presumely others will follow.

[ThinkCreeps]

11:10 AM on 04/08/2011

Brilliant publicity-seeking! Bravo! My compliments to the chef.

[sharooni]

07:48 PM on 04/09/2011

Are you presuming that Ripert contacted the media to hook up for a show-and-tell? Mightn't it be that the media went to him? He, above nearly all others in the industry, is a rather decent guy. If in your opinion he deserves your scorn, what then do you have in reserve for the really herky-jerky self promoters? Pray, do tell ...

[NYC07]

10:20 AM on 04/08/2011

Better safe then sorry.

[johnnygoodwud]

08:07 AM on 04/08/2011

here's how to do a sure fire home radiation test. put a bag of oval reddenbacker popcorn on your counter top, if it starts popping, you're screwed.