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Saveur Publisher Tells Sam Sifton to 'Stop Being so Rude'

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Looks like Michael Psilakis and his chef Ryan Skeen weren't the only people upset at Sam Sifton's zero star review of their Upper West Side restaurant Fishtag yesterday. Saveur publisher and Psilakis fan Merri Lee Kingsly tells Eater she was so annoyed by the review she left a long comment on Dining Section website, but it was not accepted by the Times comment filter. But by God, she will be heard!

She contends that Saveur—which, by the way, just launched their own restaurant reviews—"is all about the love, passion and authenticity that goes into food" and that Sifton's negative reviews "take the joy away from those who work so hard to do that." And so, without further ado, Kingsly's comment:

As the Publisher of Saveur and a long time fan of Michael and his restaurants I just don't understand the need for the snarky comments about his continued creativity in the sea of sameness in the culinary world.
Considering I have eaten at FishTag a number of times and had many dishes that I challenge you to find on any menu in NYC I would consider creativity and experimentation refreshing in the food world. Mr Sifton...you need to stop being so rude to the chefs in our world that work so damn hard every single day and put every bit of passion and love into the food they cook so that people like me...and obviously sometimes you can enjoy...I am exhausted reading the nasty reviews.—MLK
For the record, she says Bruni's critics were at least more considerate.
Update: Kingsly would like to add that the above views are hers and hers alone and she not reflect on the magazine or the editorial staff.
· All Coverage of Restaurant World Feuds [~ENY~]