NBC's Cafeteria Celebrates Black History Month

I find it very interesting that no one commenting on this one way or the other has noted that the NBC chef in charge of the menu is black. Furthermore, she has fought for years to be able to offer a special menu to celebrate the food culture of the African American people in the US. She finally is given the go ahead last year, and this year a picture is taken in jest ends up causing a huge flap because uninformed people take offense and assume that her careful planning is actually a jab at "da black man."

I'm not black but of mixed heritage (several European countries well known as the butt of jokes as well as 2 Native American tribes) while my daughter can add a Mexican Native American tribe and Hispanic to the hodge-podge gene pool. I was well prepared to defend her heritage if jokes offended her and caused her pain, but as a 17 year old teen she simply laughs at them stating, "It's a joke about a stereotype.... I get them back by teasing about their heritage!" I find it sad that more do not have attitude and strive to build bonds of unity instead of looking for hate behind every comment and action.

this is stupid

You don't have to be a certain race or nationality to enjoy soul food. You just have to have a soul. That's why some people can't come to the party. This type of food isn't just "black folks food". Everyone in the south enjoys this kind of food. Frankly, the first menu sounds far better than the revised one. Except for the collard greens. Any self respecting southerner, black or white or green or pink or whatever, knows that you don't use smoked turkey in collard greens... you use ham hocks!!

I bet that is the reason I don't see that many Jews or Muslims in soul food restaurants.

You don't have to be a certain race or nationality to enjoy soul food. You just have to have a soul. That's why some people can't come to the party. This type of food isn't just "black folks food". Everyone in the south enjoys this kind of food. Frankly, the first menu sounds far better than the revised one. Except for the collard greens. Any self respecting southerner, black or white or green or pink or whatever, knows that you don't use smoked turkey in collard greens... you use ham hocks!!

Damn all this talk of soul food makes me want four fried chickens. And a coke.

ay.. why they gotta use black ink on the paper? What are they trying to say? It's racist to use a white piece of paper with blank ink on it!

I tell you what, I'm going to sue everyone the next time someone tells an Irish joke, or serves green beer. That's it.

People, lighten up. Please. Have a sense of humor once in awhile and stop getting offended so easily. Fried and BBQ chicken does have significance in the African American culture. Ever been down south where you'll see groups of African American familieis bbq'ing using the old metal drums, with racks of chicken on it? And you can smell it from a mile away, the best damn chicken you could ever have. It may have originated during a rather unfortunate time period, but it is what it is.

The ole joke about the Irish and their potatoes...occurred as a result of empirical British rule. But so what, we like our potatoes.

oh and also.

GOTHAMIST HATES WHITE PEOPLE.

As a former NBC employee, I know for a fact that many of the commissary employees are African American--including the chefs (who create the menus), so I don't find this to be racially insensitive. Also, the "Chef's Station" and the "Grill Special" are two different stations in the commissary (that always have two different dishes), so based on these pics, that doesn't mean that the initial sign was removed--could have just been the other station.

Are you telling me that NBC has two cafeterias, one for white and another for them colored people? Isn't that illegal?

on NY1, i was mentioned the Chef is African-American and stated the original menu is what she eats.

I always found it comical that Black History Month is the shortest month.

Without Conan, they might as well serve fried chicken on St. Patrick's Day too. Barbecue would have been the best thing for that menu since southern black BBQ tastes better than anything on earth. And it's Fofo, not "fufu".

Some 10 percent of African-Americans are African-born. So why weren't fufu and cassava on the menu?

how far can people go with this ridiculous racial hyper-sensibility for fear of others.

Hawaiian pizza should be called now pacific-islander pizza!

SauerKraut should be called Arian shreded cabbage.

the zeitgeist: D.U.M.B.U.S.A.

Those look like two different parts of the cafeteria.

I think you've been had.

It's not uncommon for large companies to have several serving stations in the same cafe- that's why the first sign says "Chef's Specialty Section", and the second "Grill Special".

Plus, I also happen to do some work in the CBS building and almost all the kitchen workers, and the guy who makes the specials, are black. Same at ABC. Wouldn't surprise me if it were the same at NBC.

So is it racist if a black guy created that menu?

Nothing is worse than soul food, or acknowledging that subcultures exist. Uh, don't places have corned beef & cabbage for St. Patty's day? Or whatever? I mean-- I'm all for recognizing that stereotypes pervade our life, but at some point you gotta let go. Though the fried chicken was probably a bridge too far. Could've just served The Luther.

The cafeteria at my job had the same menu. The counter guy (who is black) said to us, "Don't forget your grape soda!" The black people in the office thought the menu was kind of funny but not racist.

If you want a daily mental taste of Southern food call the Schumpert Menu line and listen to George's daily recording:

318-681-4564

He's quite popular around the country. I dial it every once in a while for a pick me up :)

http://www.futuregringo.com/index.php/2009/07/29/schumpert-menu-line/

Omg! The nyt ran an article about a fried chicken place in Harlem a few weeks ago in the food section. The man in the accompanying picture appeared to be African American. How dare they!

Next thing you know, they'll serve bratwurst around October, corned beef in March, and turkey in November.

Fine. Call me a racist. Black people make fried chicken better than white people do. It's point of pride of the southern palate. Black culture and fried chicken go together like Irish people and drinking or Italians and meatballs. All are sterotypes, but all offer delicious ethnic foods that we cannot, as Americans, live without.

Point well taken. I guess that's why dem people speak like they do and dere brains be all ebonized.

The food police -- nothing fried allowed

www.forgotten-ny.com

Heart diease anyone?

Let's shape up here and realize that Afro Americans, as well well as 95% of those living in Africa really don't have a fucking clue about what realistic life is in the 21st century.

Look at the Haiti success story continued after ridding the "white devil" form there land.

Seriously! They gave themselves an earthquake!

I am really trying to find out what the problem is here. I love fried chicken as much as the next sub Saharan welfare recipient.

What would Cosby have said about this back in the days when he anchored their most successful night?

Does anyone know if they serve soul food any other day of the year at NBC?

Didn't something like this happen just last month (for MLK Day) in the Denver school district? It was well-publicized, too. You think someone would've paid attention.

Fountain Soda = Grape Soda?

This seems fake.

Here's the thing, I don't really find this offensive, and I don't think there was any malicious intent behind this. But it does rub me the wrong way. I think it's a simple matter of wording. The proximity of "In honor of Black History Month" and "Fried Chicken" seems abrasive. But if it had said, "In Honor of Black History Month- A selection of Soul Food dishes...Fried Chicken, etc." it sounds better doesn't it?

Actually it doesn't.

Historically blacks / fried chicken go together like watermelon and blacks. So what is the problem with linking blacks/ welfare/housing projects/ crime/ non papa babies and what else are you trying to say?

there is no problem except for the quiet chuckles that white people get when tyrone is in the room and the uproarious laughter that it becomes when he's left it. that's the PROBLEM.

And this is NBC's fault how?

No problem there son. The boy be invited to make it right for the ecassion..

Well the second sign doesn't honor anything, so it's almost forcing a cultural association instead of abrasively suggesting one.

Not to get too corny, but food is a large part of culture.

I feel badly for the guy who got excoriated for making the original sign. Good intentions are what we need with race relations, not a manuscript of what we can and cannot say about each other. And my guess is that this was not done in a malicious manner.

Seriously. If they served matzoh ball soup on Rosh Hashanah I would not be offended.

At least they switched to Dasani, the water of the open-minded.

aquafina is owned by pepsi, and dasani is owned by coke. i rest my case

what are you talking about? Learn your history. Dasani was the preferred drink of the confederacy. The Union Forever!

in honor of Black History Month please call your supervisor "Masa" ,sit in the back of the bus, don't get to live in your dream home due to redlining, don't ever ever get to live in "Levittowns".

'Mmm, fried chicken, fly vixen

Give me heart disease but need you in my kitchen

You a bird but you ain't a kid

Got wings but you can't fly away from me

After you shower, you and your gold medal flour

Then you rub your hot oil for 'bout a half an hour

You in your hot tub, I'm lookin? at you salivatin?

Dry you off, I got your paper towel waitin?

Lay you down ?cause you're red hot

Louisiana style you make my head rot

Then I flock to the bed then plop

When we done I need rest

Don't know what part of you I love best

Your legs or your breast

Misses Fried Chicken

You gon? be a n***'s death

Created by southern black women

To serve massa, guest

You gon? be a n***a's death

Misses Fried Chicken

You was my addiction

Drippin? wet hot, coalesced

Like Greeks with their Souvla

Or Italians with their tomato pasta

Or Roti is to a Rasta, trappin? me

You and your friend mac and cheese'

i love me some fried chicken

Why is the racist option always the delicious one?!

NBC = Nothing But Caucasians

haha, WRONG! i work at bet which is in the cbs building (both owned by viacom). wish i had known, i love black eyed peas and cornbread! damn. i had a frozen dinner for lunch :(

wait... what is he wrong about again?

BET (Black Entertainment Television)employs almost all black folks. CBS and BET are both owned by Viacom, and they're in the same building and share the cafeteria, and the BET employee I.D.'s have "CBS" on them so I was making the point that lots of black people work at "CBS" due to BET. Maybe it doesn't make any sense...

i was just pointing out that it's not like this is an all-white office building where white people are trying to "honor" black history by serving soul food, and being offensive in the process. it's not all white people, and it's not offensive either. soul food is yummy! over at mtv, on their soul food day they cater silvia's from harlem and its the most crowded day of the year!!

Okay...but the story is about NBC's cafeteria, not CBS's.

hahah!! i'm an idiot!! : P

sorry!

ok, they're straight up racists over there :)

I don't see the big deal. I DO see a big deal that now instead of corn bread it's just corn. wtf, over.

So...is it racist to say black people like soul food? I guess the issue here is that the menu is being related to Black History.

Probably better if they added "The Tuskegee Airmen Chili."

I guess watermelon is out of season.