As food prices rise and environmental and workers' rights issues become increasingly important to consumers, Corby Kummer thinks it's necessary to ask the right questions about where our extra dollar is going.
The Atlantic senior editor and Boston magazine restaurant critic sat down with The Huffington Post's Dan Koh at the Aspen Ideas Festival last month to discuss the shifting role of the food critic, Yelp's impact on the restaurant industry, and the growing interest around the ethical production of food.
The practice of assigning stars to a restaurant on a site like Yelp, he said, is the "least useful part of anything." "And yet ... it's the one thing they (restaurants) all want."
When asked about the organic label and whether the additional cost is worth it, Kummer said it's more important to consider where that extra expense is going. "My question is always: Can you trace the extra money you're paying to the worker and are the workers being treated better?" Kummer said. "That's where I care the most. Are the workers and the land and the animals being treated well?"
Watch the video above for Kummer's restaurant review strategies and to find out why the shiniest fruits or vegetables don't usually taste the best.
Follow Corby Kummer on Twitter here.
This video is part of a series of interviews with speakers, attendees and panelists at The Aspen Ideas Festival, produced by The Huffington Post in conjunction with The Aspen Institute. For more videos from the series, click here. For more information about The Aspen Institute, click here.