Readers of ELV: The following letter was sent to KNPR – Nevada Public Radio by a listener. Eating Las Vegas thought you might be interested in its contents and our response.

Dear Editor,

I recently read “My almost dinner with Andre”, column, posted at www.eatinglv.com by John Curtas, KNPR’s “Food Critic”.

In it, John Curtas brags about spending $19,000 a year in restaurant tabs.
Let’s look at this figure and break it down some.
– 20% of this amount consists of gratuities, leaving $15,833 in gross
restaurant tab
– 7.75% of this is tax, leaving $14,694 in net restaurant tab
– Divided by 12 months, this makes it $1,224 per month in restaurant tab or, per week, $282.57.

$287.57! That’s just what one expects to spend on an average check for
food and wine, for two people, at the great majority of fine restaurants in town (The kind Mr. Curtas promotes on his website).

One could conclude that Mr. Curtas either eats out only once a week,
hardly the hallmark of any serious food critic’s research standards, or, eats “freebies”
the rest of the days and thus, looses the objectivity required and expected of a true crtic. Which is it?

John Curtas, a Bona Fide Food Critic? Where is Ruth Reichl, I ask? Enough said.

Chris Mullis
KNPR Listener
Las Vegas

Dear Mr. Mullis,

Your arithmetic is correct but your methodology is wrong. Continue reading “Letter Of The Week”