Clandestine dining on rise as Venezuelan chefs bypass frustrations

[Bacchus4.0]

http://news.yahoo.com/clandestine-dining-rise-venezuelan-chefs-bypass-frustrations-122250227--business.html

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As with living-room restaurants that flourished in Havana in the 1990s after the fall of its Soviet benefactor, Caracas is seeing a rise in clandestine dining as inventive restaurateurs seek ways to survive economic crisis, corruption and crime.

Chefs and owners complain that operating a normal restaurant profitably has become increasingly problematic as state controls limit price increases despite roaring inflation and bribery is the only way to get permits in a timely fashion.

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"No one knows where we are until we tell them. This is an illegal restaurant," acknowledged Ana, the 24-year-old head chef at Ciboulette Prive, or 'Private Chive' in English, set in her cousin's back garden in a wealthy Caracas neighborhood. She asked that her surname not be published for fear of reprisal.

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It charges 3,000 bolivars per person. That's around $7 at the black market exchange rate or $475 at Venezuela's strongest official exchange.

[COLGATE4]

1. The 'Cubanization' of Venezuela

proceeds apace. Things are going swimmingly for Maduro. Maybe he can start a war with Guyana over his new 'maritime border'.

[Judi Lynn]

2. No inspections, no license fees, no food safety codes, no salary rules for employees,

no age requirements for employees, no building codes, no insurance requirements, no required property insurance, general liability insurance, and liquor liability insurance, no regulations?

Sounds wonderful. It's every racist right-wing, greedy tool for himself.

Have your secret restaurant, keep out the riff-raff.

Yummo. Sautéed leftist feet.