Why the Paula Deen Scandal Matters to Chefs

I had dinner last night with some friends who are in the industry, and the inevitable food topic du jour came up: the Paula Deen racism scandal. I must admit, I’ve followed the drama—revelations that she used the “n word” and other racist language—closely. My friend Chip called me out on it, and asked me why I cared so much. As he pointed out, I never watched her shows, read her books or would consider...