Food Scandals Of 2011 That Rocked The Culinary World

It's hard to say whether or not 2011 was any more tumultuous a year in food than any other. But if not, it's a testament to the volatility and drama inherent in the multibillion dollar restaurant and food service industry. This year saw food celebrities go head-to-head and activists challenge some of the biggest companies in the world -- not to mention more than a few chef-lovers' quarrels. Click through below to find out the 11 scandalous food stories that rocked the culinary food world the most in 2011.

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Comments

[oreadno1]

09:47 PM on 12/21/2011

A question: Who ate McDonalds held a gun to someone's head and made them buy a Happy Meal? Isn't it the parent's responsibility to monitor what their child eats? When did parents abdicate their parental responsibilities? You don't want your children to eat Happy Meals, then you say one very simple word: No.

[Trusome]

07:19 PM on 12/21/2011

You can blame faux news for spreading the lie about the $16 muffin. I heard it on O'Reilly's NO Spin Zone (what a misnomer) and on Hannity, even after it was explained away on the other news channels. How can anyone ever believe a thing the "Fair and Balanced" channel has to say. It is so far from being fair and balanced, it would be funny if so many people didn't get all their news from the cable network.

[rpcinc]

08:42 PM on 12/21/2011

the muffin was only$15.99

[Daniel Kelly Curtis]

06:56 PM on 12/21/2011

Boy, talk about leadtime! Are you kidding. . . 5 years! They must think people will forget. We here in Bentonville, Ar are already banishing Walmart Meat for putting sodium "solution" in their neat AND featuring Smithfield meat products. Even when you work at the home office, you know better than to buy any Walmart meat.

[rpcinc]

08:44 PM on 12/21/2011

i thought everyone with three names was on the FBI's most wanted list. some people like salty meat.

[fourpat]

06:17 AM on 12/28/2011

Lucky you if you can find meat without a solution added to it. I find it impossible to buy pure meat in the supermarkets; and probably in the butcher shops as well. Also, have yoiu noticed how the percentage of solution added to the meat has risen?

[iddottaw]

06:00 PM on 12/21/2011

Hello: There's a reason for a person to be homophobic as one of the above chefs was accused. For one, I, have been approached, by brazen, disgusting homosexuals and solicited for sex. Homosexuals are responsible for the transmission of many morbid STDs.

[misty107]

07:54 PM on 12/21/2011

You're an idiot, go educate yourself.

[rpcinc]

08:34 PM on 12/21/2011

jus cause they like manass doesn't make em all bad

[kmhjbh]

05:58 PM on 12/21/2011

I never heard about any of these "scandals" except for the ones about the toys in Happy Meals and congress calling pizza a vegetable.
Doesn't it seem kind of strange that the Food Nazi's called for a boycott and a ban of McDonalds for enticing children to eat unhealthy food but Congress sees fit to say that pizza is a vegetable for children who eat school lunches and I didn't hear a word of anyone protesting or boycotting Congress.

[bjwjr]

05:04 PM on 12/21/2011

I love Mickey Ds food. I'm glad they aren't serving strong healthy animal meat to the customers. For one it would not be so tender and two, it would be too healthy for your body. This would prevent you from ordering the double meals we so like to toss down our necks. Plus, they give you the opportunity to support the tax exempt charities they are so famous for. So, come on and support our favorite clown.

[Drvannostran]

04:49 PM on 12/21/2011

With all the different causes the OWS people here support (bay area), I'm surprised we didn't see OMcD after they found a way around the ban.

[CBasilJr]

07:40 PM on 12/21/2011

Flagged for gratuitous name calling.

[pslcitizen]

03:45 PM on 12/21/2011

Scandals, outrage? lol

[BBQribsNOnapkin]

03:40 PM on 12/21/2011

American's eat so much poisonous, processed garbage that when they actually eat real food they find the taste disagreeable. I give us about, oh...maybe another hundred years before everybody winds up with hallow bird bones surrounded by massive, overstuffed 500lb lipid cases like the surviving humans depicted in Wall-E.

[Kevin73]

06:53 PM on 12/21/2011

Overreact much?

[rpcinc]

08:36 PM on 12/21/2011

yeah who'd want a big juicy steak and a cold beer when he could have some cauliflower with pomegranite juice,

[hamsterhater]

09:43 PM on 12/21/2011

Hey rpcinc, thanks for the laugh! I agree. A nice rib eye for me. UM UM good!

[BBQribsNOnapkin]

02:19 PM on 12/22/2011

I never said that cold beer and juicy steak are poisonous...I said processed garage was, so unless you're referring to a "Number 5 Steakwich*" (it's molded like a steak, so it's gotta be good, right?) from MacDonaldz, a juicy steak and cold beer is about as close to Heaven on Earth you're gonna come (I mean come on, check my moniker).

Good food doesn't have to come from a hippie commune co-op run by dredlocked, trustafarian Rainbow Travelers during their downtime between Burning Man, but it also most definitely does not come from any place that that has a "Dollar Menu" either...

*May contain lead and byproducts from animals with no less than eight legs.

[wonderfulnews]

03:38 PM on 12/21/2011

About Guy Fieri - so what if he is a homophobe! What do you call people who are NOT homophobes? Since when is it a crime to not support homosexual behavior?

[items17070]

04:01 PM on 12/21/2011

Guy Fieri is obviously a homo! sorry, look at the facts, dont know many guys who dye there hair, etc, etc, etc,,,, there is more truth to his fear of homofobia...

[evestar]

04:11 PM on 12/21/2011

Wears his sunglasses on the back of his head (everywhere) guess he thinks that is cool NOT
someting about him gives me the creeps.

[hamsterhater]

05:55 PM on 12/21/2011

IF he gives you "the creeps"........why, ohg why do you watch him or read anything about him??? DUH !

[wonderfulnews]

03:32 PM on 12/21/2011

Raw fish? Looks gross and people are crazy for eating anything that is raw.

[TSRVT]

03:10 PM on 12/21/2011

These headline writers have got to go. I can't think of ANY of these events that would rise to the level of 'scandal', much less that "rocked" much of anything.

[sasweeney1]

03:53 PM on 12/21/2011

They say you will always remeber what you were doing the moment you heard Mcdonalds switched egg producers. I also know that my life hasnt been the same since Paula and Anthony fueded.

[TSRVT]

04:41 PM on 12/21/2011

Now THAT was funny! Good post.

[tkswilsonall]

07:51 PM on 12/21/2011

Go Cards!! :D

[ejbarrood]

02:42 PM on 12/21/2011

TOMATO SAUCE ON A SLICE OF PIZZA IS ABOUT THE SAME AMOUNT AS KETCHUP ON ANYTHING, AND FOR SOME PEOPLE, LESS. SO WHY ISN'T THE VEGETABLE VALUE AS DEBATED AS THE KETCHUP-AS-VEGETABLE ISSUE WAS IN ITS DAY?

[kasel1]

02:34 PM on 12/21/2011

Honors for McD's. Freedom is alive in the fast food industry and the nutrition Nazi's are on the run.

[TSRVT]

03:12 PM on 12/21/2011

Oh, please. McDonald's is a national pariah and rightly so. The whole corporation exists just to kill off it's customers.

[aspman07]

03:48 PM on 12/21/2011

Yes, they will keep making a profit if they kill their customers, do you even think before you post your drivell?

[hamsterhater]

05:57 PM on 12/21/2011

A "national pariah"? I thought that title was held exclusively by two individuals....Jimmuh Carter and our boy OB.

[Jaguar8450]

02:30 PM on 12/21/2011

Not only is fish being mis-labeled and sold for higher prices so it veal and pork...When it can be breaded, smothered and or covered you are paying veal prices for pounded down thin servings of pork.