Like NYC restaurant owners don’t have enough s–t to deal with.
There’s tariffs and supply chain issues, inflation and rising rents — now, these mostly-small business operators are left holding the proverbial bag of salad, as customer fears over the explosive diarrhea epidemic create a new, unwanted set of nasty headaches.
Talk about a crappy situation.
As cases of the intestinal illness cyclosporiasis skyrocket, anyone serving lettuce and other fresh vegetables — said to be the culprit, but parsley and cilantro are also now potentially being blamed — must now not only waste precious time grilling their suppliers, but also answer anxious questions as diners dither over whether to brave dishes with leafy greens and herbs.
“There might be more than one source — we just have to keep looking,” NYSDOH commissioner Dr. Jim McDonald announced this week, calming absolutely no fears.
The continued high-level uncertainty over the stinky source is trickling down in already-stressed kitchens across the five boroughs — from high-end eateries to everyday delis.
Check, please!
On W. 37th St. at the wagyu-focused omakase spot Togyushi, known for nine-course feasts made with a bounty of ingredients featuring fresh fish and vegetables alike, staff have diligently checking their sources, while staying glued to the latest news on the smelly scourge.
“As soon as we learned, we immediately contacted our suppliers to verify the origin and lot information of any potentially affected produce,” Executive Chef Kenichiro Yamasaki told The Post.
“The most important step is maintaining close communication with trusted suppliers and carefully managing inventory,” Yamasaki said.
A kitchen can stay as clean as it wants — but if produce comes in contaminated, it’s still a crapshoot.
“One misconception is that food safety begins and ends in the kitchen,” Yamasaki said.
“The process actually starts at the farm level and continues through harvesting, distribution, storage, and transportation before ingredients ever reach a restaurant. Every step plays an important role. Situations like this highlight how important transparency, traceability, and quality control are throughout the entire supply chain,” he continued.
In the wake of the outbreak, Togyushi owner Ling Chen said he’s definitely seeing diners behave differently.
“We’ve noticed a subtle shift in ordering patterns,” he observed. “Some guests appear less inclined to choose raw vegetable dishes, including salads.”
Most of Togyushi’s menu is mainly centered around premium Japanese wagyu — which “naturally aligns” with what guests are after now anyway, Chen said.
Leaf it off
“People are definitely afraid, and they are ordering less lettuce,” Izzy Ramos, general manager at Faicco’s Italian Specialties on Bleecker Street told The Post.
The century-old-plus sandwich slingers assure that their fresh veg is safe — but also note that they’ve been taking extra precautions, too.
“We’ve been cleaning everything extra,” Izzy Ramos said.
The dreaded lettuce is a feature in a handful of the 29 massive sandwiches on the menu at the West Village staple — like the Buffalo Chicken and the Turkey Club.
A house favorite, the Italian Special, piled high with ham, capicola, prosciutto, soppressata, mozzarella, tomato, roasted pepper, oil and red wine vinegar, is another features lettuce.
According to Ramos, at least 30 percent of recent orders have included requests to hold the lettuce.
“I get it, once something gets out there on social media and the news, people get scared even if they know it’s safe,” he said.
“Unfazed”
Over in Brooklyn, Williamsburg’s longtime mini-bagel chain Bagelsmith is beloved for their wraps and sandwiches — nearly all including lettuce.
“As far as the people coming into my store, everyone around here is very health conscious,” owner Frank Mattera told The Post. “But our customers are pretty unfazed. I really haven’t noticed any change. People have not started ordering less lettuce, not at all.”
When he heard about the outbreak, Mattera did a deep dive into his supply chain.
“The lettuce we’re getting is from St. Jacques Lettuce, and is a product of Quebec,” Mattera told the Post.
“You can’t go wrong with a Saint,” he cracked — noting that farms north of the border are seemingly unaffected by the brouhaha.
Michael, a 24-year-old student who ordered a ham sandwich on an everything bagel at Bagelsmith’s location on Brooklyn’s Lorimer Street and did not want to give his last name, told The Post he’s rolling his eyes over the hysteria.
“If it’s not one thing it’s something else,” he said. “I’m still going to enjoy my sandwich.”
Not really affected
The mood is much same at the Greenwich Village outpost of the bustling casual French cafe-bar Tartinery.
“We get all of our produce from Manhattan Food Exchange, and they always provide us with the freshest products and we always know where they come from,” general manager Yande Dia told The Post of the Ridgewood-based company that supplies restaurants with peak, seasonal fruits and veggies.
At Tartinery, Dia said, people are still ordering up the cafe’s signature dishes like Eggs Benedict — which traditionally comes with leafy greens on the side.
“We also don’t focus on green lettuce; all of our leafy greens are usually alfalfa sprouts, frisée greens (curly endives), or spinach, so the recall hasn’t really affected us. I have not noticed people ordering less greens,” Dia reported.
No iceberg here
Many a rushed New York lunch involves a trip to pick up a Chipotle bowl — and while the chain has taken its share of beatings in previous food poisoning outbreaks over the years, a representative hastened to assure that the Fresh-Mex giant was closely monitoring the situation.
“Chipotle does not serve iceberg lettuce in our restaurants, and our romaine and Supergreens salad blend are sourced in the U.S., not Mexico,” said Laurie Schalow, Chief Corporate Affairs and Food Safety Officer for the brand.
“We are continuing to follow the Cyclospora investigation very closely and will continue to evaluate any new information and take appropriate action,” Schalow continued.
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