Turns out, Jay Rayner (whom, until that day, I held in good esteem for NOT being one of those guys) scored Rick Moonen as badly as he did for one reason, and one reason only – he didn’t agree with Rick’s choice of venison for the final challenge in Top Chef Masters, claiming that Rick had violated his own “sustainable” standard.

Rayner is wrong. Dead wrong.

New Zealand venison is one of the most sustainable and humane farmed meat in the world. Its carbon footprint, even when imported to the United States, is less than forty per cent of that of a standard “organic” beef slab purchased at Whole Foods (where the contestants shop).

Moreso, a “celebrity chef” like Rick Moonen using a specific ingredient is certain to raise interest in such an item. This can and should inevitably lead to two quick successive strikes: demand for New Zealand sustainable venison rises, and local venison producers take note, incorporating more of the NZ approaches.

All in all, Moonen’s choice of NZ venison can be, easily, seen as within his own sustainability message. Rayner comes across as someone who had to latch on to some controversy to make a point about something he’s easily outmatched, outwitted, and historically outperformed by not only Rick Moonen (who is the standard bearer for the sustainable seadfood movement) but most chefs and writers who actually do something instead of judging others.