After more than a year of claiming that all its of its beef, lamb and game is organic, and that it comes from owner Giorgio Nava’s Karoo farm, and persisting to do so for more than two months after this blog challenged this claim, Carne has finally changed the introduction to its website www.carne-sa.com, removing references to “Giorgio’s own Karoo farms” and “organically grown”, thereby doing the honourable thing! We are surprised that it has taken him so long to make the corrections.
Originally the Carne website’s Homepage made the following claim: “Dedicated entirely to meat as is evident from its Italian name, Carne SA is a carnivore’s paradise serving a unique offering of the finest cuts of Romagnola beef, Dorper lamb and game, all organically grown on Giorgio’s own Karoo farms.”
Now it reads as follows: Dedicated entirely to meat as is evident from its Italian name, Carne SA is a carnivore’s paradise serving a unique offering of the finest cuts of Romagnola beef, Dorper lamb,game and more.
When one clicks onto the word “more”, a full page explaining how Nava obtains his meat can be read. This is what is written – difficult to follow at times, due to Nava’s ‘Italglish’: “Giorgio Nava’s flair for quality is undisputed. Patrons of the award winning 95 on Keerom have been enjoying the benefits of his culinary stance since their opening in 2003. In alignment of Giorgios’ unwavering inclination towards supreme quality and use of only the finest ingredients has led him and his partners of Carne SA-(his latest instalment of Milanese appeal)-open since November 2008 to a intersection pertaining to the ultimate quality of meat offered at Carne. Months of extensive research has seen Carne, a carnivores’ paradise which has to date boasted a unique offering of the finest cuts of Romagnola beef, Dorper lamb and game, all historically grown on Giorgio’s own Karoo farm- progress to a crossroad where a savoir-faire business approach and an adherence to the requests of the local market shift to now officially incorporating into-an already impressive free range selection- the finest in grass and grain fed beef. Patrons of Carne can look forward to an exclusive menu featuring the very best meat Southern Africa has to offer, aspiring to indulge the meat lover with an extensive choice of beef of which its calibre can be traced back to its farm, aging time and whether it was grain or grass fed. These all-inclusive details will be readily available to the customer-making dining at Carne an elite experience. Absolute strict characteristics are considered before a product is included on the menu like age of animal, diet, terroir, slaughter process, fat content, and meat flavour. Paying reverence to the meaning of its simple Italian name – meat, Carne surpasses the highest standards of all meat produce obtainable in Southern Africa guaranteeing the ultimate in carnivorous culinary. Giorgio, his partners and all involved in Carne SA, are excited at its capacity to offer its followers both local and abroad the ultimate variety in supreme South African beef, delivering Carne SA to the status of international meat emporium“.
Initially Nava refuted the WhaleTales challenge about Carne’s organic and his Karoo farm origin claims, but did admit that he bought in meat from other suppliers for quality comparison purposes. His supplier Gastro Foods also admitted that they supply non-organic and non-Karoo game to Carne. The fact that Nava did not institute legal proceedings against this blog was further proof of the false claims made.
From guest feedback it was understood that Nava took great care to explain personally to all his Carne customers how he obtains his meat for the restaurant.
The Carne con correction leaves “steak” on Eat Out editor Abigail Donnelly’s face, in that she refused to allow a comment about the misleading Carne claims on the magazine’s website. She is one of the three judges for the Eat Out Top 10 restaurant list, for which Carne was nominated last year.
The original story about the Carne con can be read here.
POSTSCRIPT: Giogio Nava, the owner of Carne, has written a Comment to this post, denying making changes to his website due to the exposure of his restaurant’s misleading claims. Read his comment (click on ‘Comments’ at the top).
Chris von Ulmenstein, Whale Cottage Portfolio: www.whalecottage.com
20
3070
27k
20
Chris, I think the most important thing here is that he is highly dedicated to where his meat comes from. True, it was not organic but in all other fields he is more than happy to explain to any customer the exact origins of whatever is on the plate. Including slaughter techniques, travel arrangements etc. To me, this is even more impressive.
Superb piece of journalism. Great to see a blogger taking on a restaurant and getting them to change their tune.Well done Chris, keep up the good work.
Clare Mack
http://www.spill.co.za
a food and drink blog.
Jamie, what are you waffling about ??? Carne lied to their patrons, FULL STOP, there is no defence and now they have been caught out on their lie. Stop trying to defend dishonesty.
Well done for sticking to your guns, the truth always comes out in the end. Someone should report them to Cape Town Tourism.
I agree with Jamie. The taste of “I told you so” is a little rancid here.
I agree with Angie on Jamie whos comment.
Jamie you write a pretty good honest blog so im surprised to hear you backing up Carne, its pure fabrication and he has been caught with his pants down.
Maybe jamies cuddling up to Abigail Donnelly a little too much me thinks.
Well done Chris another win for the consumer.
Dear Chris
Firstly- regrettably for you and your deplorable comprehension of journalism, your information source has been nothing but shameful banter.
Secondly- Carne absolutely does NOT admit to any controversy or “guilt†which you have so ignorantly accused us of. We did not change our website because of your persistent gossip.It has been changed to include a wider and bigger selection of meat for our patrons.
Thirdly- Chris a word of advice; when you cannot grasp a simple concept, you cannot lay it down to-lost in translation. The facts are simple(interpret them as you will seeing as though that is clearly your calling in life)
We will continue to source and provide the best product range to our loyal patrons.
The process and our dedication to supreme quality is not for you to judge, or in your case understand.
Mr Nava
Please explain why “The process and our dedication to supreme quality is not for you to judge, or in your case understand”
Surely as customers to your restaurant it is up to us to judge your quality and dedication on an ongoing basis.
Jeez everyone, maybe we should all just have a little lie down. Breathe deeply. Relax. Chris, I do applaud you for your commitment. The reason I am sticking up for Carne is because I asked Giorgio for his thoughts and he looked me in the eye and explained himself. Maybe I’m naive but that was good enough for me.
Giorgio, what are you ranting about ? you were caught out on a lie, don’t shoot the messenger. You said all your meat was organic and from your Karoo farm, YOU LIED, you got caught out.
Oooh, this is all such fun! Bunch of primas having fits. LOL
The Jamie character is incomprehensibly naive, and the restaurateur breathtakingly arrogant. Cape Town seems in danger of disappearing up it’s on rear orifice… 🙂
Georgio, keep up the good work.
The success of your restaurants is a direct product of the incredible food, immaculate service and in turn, popularity.
See you soon.
[…] Instead they make “authoritative” pronouncements on restaurants (go, don’t go, this one is a con!), and even worse, take swipes at professional restaurant critics in the […]
Test Bank for International Marketing 16th Edition Cateora
Restaurant News: Carne