Bye Bye Hitler
Hitler is going back after a five day controversy. Yup am talking aboutt he restaurant that created a ripple in the media which opened last friday in Navi Mumbai named after “Hitler’s Cross”. The owners have decided to change the name of the restaurant after all the media attention and the displeasure they got from the Jewish community in Kharghar. Read more here
My take on this entire issue :
First I appreciate the fact that the restaurant owners have taken into consideration, the sentiments of the small community of Jews residing in Khargar and they have even apologised for hurting their sentiment. I feel after all they have got their fair share of publicity and am sure that people are flocking into see whts the buzz all about.
On the other hand, I think tht the reaction of the media and the public was a bit too much. As the owner of the restaurant states “I only wanted to provide my patrons with the best culinary experience. We didn’t want to promote Hitler or his ideology.” After all its all about the food people! Does it really matter whome the restaurant is name after if the place is serving good food? If the ambience is peaceful and pleasent and if the service is out of the world, I dont think we need to think beyond that after all the nname of the restaurant is not gona betagged to you likea last name/surname . If at all we need to protest or crib abt it should be all those unhygenic places which serve food to mumbaikars for a outrageous price tag and ensure a hospital bed in return.
Wake Up (Navi)Mumbai !
there are more larger issues in life to deal with. Health, education, corruption, etc.
But something like this can become a larger issue if not dealt with. Cartoons in an obscure newspaper published a few months earlier led to riots, killings and bombings of embassies etc months later.
If it had been dealt with earlier, no one would have lost their lives.
In the same manner, naming a restaurant without thinking about the ramifications is not the done thing in society.
If this was a private restaurant or residence, then no one would be bothered. Just the fact that it is out to do business with the public makes it necessary to follow norms in society.
I agree with Arzan. The food matters as does the cleanliness but that does not take away the fact that this name and theme was ill-chosen.
absolutely agreed. it is totally not on to name a restaurant in such an offensive manner and then vapidly claim that you don’t really know what the big deal is. controversy is controversy, and builds on itself. hitler is a very contentious figure — a leader and orator but also a murderer and ethnocentrist — and any use of his name should take into account all those connections and associations.
also, it’s NOT just all about the food — it’s business. and risky business, if you run your business stupidly.
[all of this is not even to mention the firestorm that would erupt if the restaurant had been “innocently” named something offensive to hindus. but let’s not go there.
punit sablok, if you really want to sell good food, name the restaurant something to do with good food. if publicity is all you’re in search of, maybe you’ve extended the length of the lines at your doorstep, but my vote is that you and your restaurant are (get this) tasteless.
Sad and pathetic to promote Hitler of all people.