Clément Leroy brandishes ducks at vegan protesters at The Square
Executive chef of The Square in Mayfair Clément Leroy didn't take well to being accused of animal cruelty by activists yesterday - and decided to taunt them by bringing two dead ducks out from his kitchen.
The Direct Action Everywhere (DXE) activists stormed the restaurant bearing placards and chanting 'it's not food, it's violence,' calling out the methods of production of foie gras and The Square's use of the traditional French delicacy.
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In a somewhat unanticipated (and admittedly slightly immature, albeit attesting of his sense of humour) response, executive chef Clément Leroy stepped out of the kitchen with a duck in each hand, and proceeded to wave them in the activists' direction.
The group, whose statement mission is to 'awaken people's compassion to bring about a vegan world' are said to have threatened the chef's poor hygiene practices to sanitary authorities. The protesters also visited Fortnum and Mason and So Japanese restaurant in Soho to contest their sale of foie gras.
Reactions on Twitter varied from the derisory:
When you are death, destroyer of worlds, but moonlight as a chef. pic.twitter.com/3VtoD2dyo6
— The Kitchen Is On Fire | A Food Podcast (@TickyOff) March 28, 2019
To the opportunistic, plant-based alternative advocacy:
https://t.co/fbVKzs1cH7 if only the chef used @FoieRoyale instead, the cruelty free alternative every bit as good as foie gras ???? #foieroyalehttps://t.co/UXuEwmovzb
— Ambassadors of Food (@AmbassadorsFood) March 28, 2019
In a final act of mockery, the chef shared a video of a famous French nursery rhyme which roughly translates to 'The duck dance':
La danse des canards - J.J. Lionel / Live dans Les Années Bonheur https://t.co/BV3eCe8jHb via @YouTube @square_rest
— Clement Leroy (@leroyclement) March 28, 2019
Do you think the chef overreacted? Share your views in the comments!
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