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Joined: 15/10/2010
Posts: 2
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HELP!!! I just found out! What should I do? Leave my job ? Some chef huh?
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Joined: 14/01/2009
Posts: 1029
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MSG...sounds like my mate Moe Betta is cook'n for you. Classic Moe, first he hits ya' with MSG, then he spikes yer grub with LSD. Get out now...fast, before bollards start dancing and your whole world turns into a Purple Haze.
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Joined: 22/07/2009
Posts: 97
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Hello, Please translate !!!! MSG =
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Joined: 15/10/2010
Posts: 2
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Monosodium Glutamate.... flavour enhancer.... preservative..... commonly used in Chinese food....
A neuro-toxin like aspartame and other sweetners. Just google MSG to find info. A whole slew of symptoms and side effects....
Basically an UN-NECESSARY CHEMICAL that has been added to our "home-cooked" meals for as long as I've been on-board (8 months now). I am appalled !
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Joined: 22/07/2009
Posts: 97
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Hoooo! You have wizard in the galley !!! Thank you, I'll find more! That is not easy!
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Joined: 14/01/2009
Posts: 1029
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Ya Salvador...MSG is a widely used food additive. In Portugal its got an " E " number E621 . MSG is present in very many prepared foods, sauces, beef bouillon cubes, fast food...... have a look for E621 when you're at the market shopping. MSG was originally derived from seaweed, but now is produced as a vegetable extract . MSG is used to mimic the natural Glutamate flavour of many foods. Some people are sensitive to Glutamate and have reactions. Some people reject all food additives. Some people consider MSG beneficial because its use reduces the level of salt in your diet. High salt intake is known to be harmful to your health. The EU considers MSG safe for consumers. Id say mention to the chef that you're sensitive to MSG, then shut down your resource hungry, earth polluting generators and find something else to complain about.
http://www.eufic.org/article/en/artid/monosodium-glutamate/
Hey Salvador !!!, notice that this EU consumer info document is not translated into Portuguese...Hmmmmmm, better give the EU Commission a call.
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Being a chef, I dont go out of my way to use MSG to "sprinkle" over crew food....but...in all reality, if you are so against MSG, then do not drink milk or wine, or eat fresh fruits and veges..then again..you better not eat meat either as msg is "sprinkled" over meat to keep it fresh...sooo pretty much a vegan sounds like an ideal option for the average person to get away from msg (though in saying that most nuts have msg in the fertilisers that are sprayed over the trees)..oh well, every captain loves a skinny stew 
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No professional chef should need to use MSG. It is an unnatural 'flavour enhancer' and a preservative! Completely unnecessary! MSG interferes with your insulin levels and will actually make you fat, along with all the other adverse health effects. Yes they do add it to a lot of packaged foods, this does not make it ok. Why do you think there is an obesity problem throughout the developed world? Oh yeah MSG can also lead to sexual reproduction problems! Fair enough if you do not care about your health and well being for yourself and your children, but there are many of us that do. We have every right to stand up to those who intentionally and maliciously sabotage our health. My advice is to leave that toxic environment. You deserve better, everyone does. There are so many boats out there with great professional chefs who are passionate about creating tasty and nutritious food. Don't settle!
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MSG kills brain cells!!! why on earth would anyone want to consume something that kills your brain cells... Make educated choices people! No excuses.
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Joined: 14/01/2009
Posts: 1029
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[removed by modertor] Hey anonymous...scientists have observed that 1,000,000 brain cells are killed for every 1 oz of alcohol consumed. Are you going to prohibit my gang from charging down to beach this afternoon and watching the sunset with a cold beer ? As for the Anonymous who believes that MSG created the Western obesity problem...[removed by modertor] Excess consumption..eating burgers as you drive and 5000 calories a day for the typical western diet breads obesity. Concerning chefs, their only responsibilty toward yacht crew is balanced , wholesome, ontime meals . If pre prepared packed foods containing food additives accomplish this task...go for it.
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Joined: 22/07/2009
Posts: 97
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Hello, Thanks, I found it, translated, can give EU Commission a rest!! Suddenly, I didn't thought the cheff was pouring something that comes in web... Thought it was some code that only more experienced sailors would understand : ) cheers
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Joined: 21/03/2009
Posts: 5
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No professional chef should need to use MSG. It is an unnatural 'flavour enhancer' and a preservative! Completely unnecessary but it does enhance the taste of foods!
Ask your chef why he/she uses it? I would love to know the answer..well we do know the simple answer but...
You could try asking the chef if they have ever tried fresh herbs or spices, maybe a sauce or a quick salsa with tomatoes, garlic, vin . or lemon juice...infused olive oil , cheese.. then have msg once a week.. u might even look forward to it as much as u would that port wine & mushroom sauce with your cancer causing steak! lol i wouldnt stress too much about it. But i would quiz them! OR ...ahhh BUTTER!!! now there another topic all together
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Joined: 25/06/2009
Posts: 271
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Nath wrote: ...ahhh BUTTER!!! now there another topic all together
In my opinion the best butter in the world is Fraser Valley brand (from B.C., Canada  ). Rod P.S. Don't worry about MSG - in most cases, it is innocuous  - however, I would ask the chef why he thinks his cooking is not "good enough" that it is required  - that would probably "fix" it real quick.
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Ummm, I know this might sound like a crazy idea, but couldn't you just voice your concerns to the chef and have an actual dialogue about the issue?
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Joined: 22/06/2008
Posts: 18
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I might have considered that "post anonymous" button there, young Kate. Is your chef wasn't trying to kill you before, he might be trying now. tsk tsk. To quote our chef, "Theres a visine for that"
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Joined: 22/08/2009
Posts: 9
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Ok Kate, let's get some perspective here.
I am also appalled as you pit it, when "gourmet" crew pile on a load of salt before even tasting what the chef has cooked. Also the crew connoiseurs who request crucified steaks with their cream sauces. And vegetarians who eat bacon when they have a hangover.
I would suggest that a little KNORR stock cube dropped in to a chicken broth to enhance flavour is more acceptable than that, right?
A little spice rub with a tiny amount of MSG is not going to hurt you.
Nothing more annoying than pedantic crew with food paranoia.
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Joined: 29/09/2009
Posts: 13
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This post HAS to be a joke. Agreed, using MSG is not the Hallmark of a good chef outside of the Orient but it is hardly a violation of human rights. Ever eat a bag of chips? LOADED with it. And while we are keeping it real...visine, body fluids, stow-aways with six legs. You need to read Kitchen Confidential by Anothony Bourdain, you'll learn to be real nice to your chef no matter what. Either that or start cooking your own food. Oooh, MSG, the nerve. Your chef might even have corn syrup in the galley. Run!
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I'm with 'Kramer' from Seinfeld. "Get extra MSG!"
(Just kidding.)
I do remember seeing billboards in Asia advertising various brands of MSG as a "spice" and I recall Chefs in restaurants I worked in as a kid using plenty of it in stews and sauces (especially when they made large quantities to las a few days in the walk-in).
And to the chef griping about how crew prefer their steak: Relly GOOD chefs can do well done with out ruining a steak. Primadonnas can't.
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Joined: 22/08/2009
Posts: 9
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Really mate, well do your self a flavour. Open your mind a bit to something new. Try a medium grilled prime striploin, about 2 inch thick. Sprinkle some sea salt and ground pepper pre-grilling. You might find it actually tastes better. I recently converted a well done man, now he is heading towards medium rare.
Good chef's care about how their crew eats.
Nothing to do with prima donna behaviour my carnivore friend.
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Good chef's care about how their crew eats.
This is a great point!!!
Kate have you confronted your chef yet?
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Joined: 24/10/2008
Posts: 6
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KateWalters wrote: HELP!!! I just found out! What should I do? Leave my job ? Some chef huh? MSG, reeeaaaaally? I don't think you should leave your job, I think you should RUN, back to mommy! If you've been eating the food for 8 months with no ill effects, then what is the problem? You probably have more health issues to worry about due to Sun exposure, Diesel Fumes, Carbon Monoxide exposure, mold, or any other number of risks on a yacht.
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Joined: 03/10/2009
Posts: 2
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I sure wish I would have seen this post earlier. First things first, your chef is a hack, shoemaker, wanker, whatever you want to call him/her. Unfortunately there are many like him/her in this industry. It's full of lazy cows who may have been a chef at one point but now are merely cooks who do as little work as possible to "get the job done" and could care less about the food they produce.
On another note, MSG will not hurt you, at least the FDA says it won't. I don't trust them much however. If you aren't getting headaches you should be fine. It is legal in most countries. I try not to consume it but you never know whats in your food, especially if you rely on others for your sustenance like we do in yachting.
I would like to clear up some false info posted by other dockwalkers in this tread. I hate food rumors.
-" if you are so against MSG, then do not drink milk or wine, or eat fresh fruits and veges..then again..you better not eat meat either as msg is "sprinkled" over meat to keep it fresh..." None of these products have MSG. I don't know where this guy gets his intel but its bogus. Meat is not sprinkled with MSG unless some chef decides to use it.
-"Ever eat a bag of chips? LOADED with it" Some (very few) chips have MSG. Just look on the back, it'll tell you.
-" Relly GOOD chefs can do well done with out ruining a steak. " HAHAHA. thats an oxymoron
Anyways, Im on a chef soapbox. Kate, with this info you should be able to make up your mind. The one thing I will tell you is if you don't want to eat MSG along with other crew and the chef won't stop using it, get the Captain involved. Good luck. When all else fails, call him a shoemaker. He will get it!
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Joined: 29/09/2009
Posts: 13
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Chefonwater, hate food rumors do you? Very few chips have MSG you say? Well I wouldn't want anyone to accuse me of being a lazy cow, so let's check on that.. I'll go through the snack cabinet now. Sour Cream and Onion potato chips (the engineer's favorite) check, Monosodium glutamate right there on the label. BBQ potato chips next, up, look there, MSG. Cheetos, yep they've got it. In fact, Cheetos have got more MSG than orange food coloring, isn't that interesting? They are SOOO orange. Imagine how much MSG there must be! Now my own favorite guilty pleasure...NACHO CHEESE DORITOS. Well look at that! Did you know they have more MSG in them than Cheese? How about Fritos? Sorry again mate, Monosodium Glutamate. Oh, but the stew likes cheese flavored rice cakes....Well blow me down, there's MSG in them too. When you say "very few". What exactly did you mean by that?
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Joined: 22/08/2009
Posts: 9
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So chefonwater, have YOU looked in your dry stores now and thrown out all your MSG laden products.
Then make a humble pie for crew dessert.
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Joined: 20/10/2010
Posts: 1
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Wow, is this ever going to end..?
Sure we all have eaten several times MSG, nasty and true!
But seriously, sprinkle it over the food, never seen/heard of that before? haha... Im agree with one of the comments: get some garlic, bunch of herbs, salt and pepper, anyone can do wonders with that! No need to add more artificial products to what we eat. All I could say!
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Joined: 03/10/2009
Posts: 2
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Kate, do you work on a fifty-meter boat by chance? Sure would clear up a whole lot....
@keepingitreal- this post is about a chef choosing to add MSG to wholesome meals without the crew knowing, not about the junk food in the pantry that crew members have the choice to consume or not. I am a humble chef, in fact I have been accused of being too nice at times, but when someone who calls themselves a chef and uses MSG, it really pisses me off.
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Joined: 01/06/2008
Posts: 1008
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MSG, if it doesn't give you a headache about 15-30 min after eating it, you aren't reactive. It's not on my preferred food component list just because I don't like what it does to the texture of most foods, but if it's there, I still eat.
As far as steaks, if it doesn't moo when I cut it, it's over done.
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Joined: 22/11/2009
Posts: 14
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MSG bad stuff but not as bad as Soya
Just google soya is poison and see how many hits you get
Governments will say MSG is not dangerous but no Government in the world will say Soya is safe
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You are all so full of [removed by moderator]! Yes, MSG, yes smoking, yes drinking, yes walking across the road is all dangerous to your health. If you don't get off the boat, or stop living. Join a yoga retreat or become so rich that you can own a boat, of your own and employ the chef that you want. There are so many pretentious people in this industry it makes me sick. You think you are the owners instead of the maids(slaves)working for them. All of you that are living in a dream catch a wake-up. You are crew, just helpers and be happy what you are getting to eat you can be worse off. So next time you go to the pub, drink two glaces of red wine, its good for your healt, but only two, don't stand close to anyone that smokes, because second hand smoke can kill you. Stop eating all fast foods because, all that stuff have MSG in them! Stop moaning and eat your food.
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Yep as a chef i wouldn't add msg to my food....
#but
the industry iso filled up with pretentious stuck up spoiled brats...
to become a yacht chef I had to wash dishes for 4 yrs, do a four year indentured apprenticeship and then complete a further 7 yrs of hardcore line work in tough kitchens, we never got breaks we never got staff meals always picked on the go, never got tips etc etc....
i swas surprised to step into the industry to see the lack of experience some interior staff possesed....
there is always complaints about crew food no matter how good it is....
everybody wants something different and personalised, in the end I learned to spend more time looking after pathetic crew members in an effort to avoid the black mail of bitching behind my back.....
in between provisioning, stocking fridges keeping stock rotated, cleaning and hygenic, menu writing, accounting, training floor staff who have no hospitality experience, shopping missions, which always seem to be a hassel for deck guys and captains, asking for money to buy produce, prepping and service for 12 guests with high expectation, dealing with inadequate ovens and cold storage, garbage runs..... then you have a bunch of bored, tired, spoilt bitchy crew to have to please or else you become the bad guy chef......
to be honest its rarely worth the money...
however when you get a great crew it really good...
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Joined: 31/08/2010
Posts: 5
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Whats wrong with a bit of salt and pepper?
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nothing m8 nothing at all....
plenty of other jobs in the world...ones where you dont get fed, clothed accomodated... hey why doesn't the original poster go do an apprenticeship as a chef ???
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