A Chef At A Popular New Outlet Has BANNED A Well-Known Food Critic And The Claws Are Out
A spat between a well-known food blogger and reviewer, and a high-profile Dubai chef has escalated, following the chef’s decision to ban the blogger from his outlets.
Chef Izu Ani, responsible for Carine, La Serre, Le Petite Maison and Gaia in DIFC has announced he was banning Samantha Wood, founder and editor of Foodiva, from his outlets.
It comes after a review was hosted on foodiva.com that was less than stellar, of Ani’s new venture GAIA.
Chef Anu with HH Sheikh Hamdan
Anu made a statement to Caterer Middle East that he felt the review was a reaction to his refusal to partake in a commercial opportunity on Foodiva.com
Calling the review ‘personal’.
However Woods has firmly denied this accusation, releasing a statement reiterating her editorial policy – and that the review was done by a guest writer, not Woods herself.
She elaborated that she is a fan of chef Anu, and it was not personal, it was fair and balanced – including positive and negative points regarding the experience.
Anu told Caterer that he had outright chosen to ban Woods from his outlet
Stating that the blogger would not be welcome at GAIA, telling Caterer Middle East: “The people that matter, they love it. And the people that don’t matter, like her… I’ve banned her from setting foot anywhere near here.”
Foodiva was founded by Samantha Woods and publishes anonymous, paid-for reviews of food outlets
A rare character in the landscape of food bloggers in Dubai, Woods only reviews places anonymously – paying for the experience. She also told Caterer Middle East that she chose not to review GAIA herself as she felt she would likely be recognised.