Restaurateur blames vegans for having to reconstruct Facebook page

The evangelical vegans are at it again, and restaurant owners are calling foul — or maybe fowl.

Natalia Badzjo of Big B’s Texas Barbecue on St. Rose Parkway in Henderson took to social media this week to complain.

“Due to some really mean vegan fanatics reporting our BBQ restaurant page ‘offensive’ and ‘inappropriate,’ Facebook has unpublished it,” she wrote on her personal Facebook page last week. “After two weeks trying to fight and appeal this ridiculous and unfair decision, I have decided to start over. It is unfortunate as we had a LOT of followers, great customer posts and reviews.”

The original Facebook page featured photos of the restaurant’s dishes.

After asking the restaurant’s fans to like the new page, she finished, “To vegan fanatics: I have nothing against your life choices — to each their own — but if you do something like this, maybe you need to take a closer look in the mirror and rethink your attitude.”

Ouch.

One thing the campaigners may want to keep in mind: It’s not smart to try to come between a barbecue fan and his or her barbecue.

That wasn’t the only vegans-vs.-carnivores (or pescatores) news last week. PETA emailed a letter to the Review-Journal stating that they were asking Wayde King and Brett Raymer of Animal Planet’s “Tanked” to not serve fish at an upcoming restaurant because there would be aquariums in the restaurant, comparing the prospect to serving “poodle burgers at a dog show.”

But there were a few problems with the letter: One, King and Raymer hadn’t heard anything about it. Two, Raymer is opening the restaurant; King isn’t involved. Raymer said from Nashville, where he was filming a show with country star Jason Aldean, that he doesn’t even know how they found out about the planned restaurant, Get Tanked, which he expects to open at Fashion Show mall next fall. And he blames the letter on the success of their TV show.

“I definitely think they wrote the letter because I’m famous,” he said. “I have a lot of friends who own restaurants and I don’t see them getting letters,” even though they both serve seafood and have aquariums.

Chef comings and goings: Mark Andelbradt, until lately executive chef at Wolfgang Puck Bar & Grill in Downtown Summerlin, replaces Eric Klein as executive chef of Spago at the Forum Shops at Caesars. And Spencer Rudow, who had been executive sous chef at Spago, replaces Andelbradt at the Summerlin location.

On the departure of Robert Camacho to become executive chef at DB Brasserie at The Venetian, Jeff Mauro, who had been executive sous chef at Andiron Steak & Sea in Downtown Summerlin, takes over at Honey Salt, also in Summerlin.

Spotted at the Bagel Cafe on Buffalo Drive: “This is a place of peace. Please no firearms on this property,” followed by “peace” in numerous languages.

Sightings: Comedian Brad Garrett with family and colleagues dining in the Chairman’s Suite at Topgolf on the Strip. Weather guy Nate Tannenbaum in the mayor’s booth at the Omelet House on Charleston Boulevard near Rancho Drive.

Have an item for Kitchen Confidante? Email hrinella@reviewjournal.com.