LOGAN SQUARE — Riot Fest vendor and local business Puffs of Doom is speaking out against what they described as "ridiculous" treatment by musician Morrissey and his management at the music fest last month by launching the "Pork Morrissey" sandwich.
The sandwich, which is filled with heaps of pork, cheese and bacon, was created to mock the former Smiths lead singer — a known vegan — for forcing all Riot Fest vendors to stop selling meat during his set, according to Luke Petillon, co-owner of Puffs of Doom.
The grilled cheese sandwich is filled with bacon ranch mac and cheese and bourbon BBQ pulled pork, layered with three different types of cheese and topped with house made pimento cheese.
Those who are interested can buy the sandwich at a few upcoming events, including this weekend's Logan Square Food Truck Social. Puffs of Doom, which sells savory and sweet puffs at various festivals and events, will be stationed on Humboldt Boulevard close to Cortland Avenue.
Creating a meat-filled sandwich named after Morrissey is meant to "add levity," but it's also a statement, Petillon said. He feels strongly that Morrissey and his management "bullied" small vendors into submission at the fest.
"It bullied these little businesses that are already having a hard time hacking it. What it doesn't do is actually change anything," he said.
At first, Petillon said, Riot Fest sent all of the vendors an email saying they couldn't prepare meat at the fest because Morrissey wouldn't tolerate the smell of it. But then, on the day of the fest, the vendors were told they couldn't sell meat during his set, Petillon said.
"With no time to make any adjustments, his management went to Riot Fest and was like, 'Actually we changed our minds. It's not that he doesn't want to smell it. He's a vegan activist,'" Petillon said.
(from left) Luke Petillon and Rebecca VanderKloot of Puffs of Doom. [Provided]
Petillon emphasized that neither he nor his business partner take issue with Morrissey's anti-meat stance. In fact, he said, his partner is a vegetarian of 26 years, who is "deeply concerned" about the ethical treatment of animals.
"She shares Morrissey's views. But the way he tried to push his views down the public's throats and the fact that it didn't change or fix anything ... it just translated into small businesses being bullied," he said.
Morrissey has been a vegetarian since he was 11, and The Smiths were well-known for their 1985 album titled "Meat Is Murder." Though vegans criticized him for taking too long to go full-blown vegan, he has been one since at least 2014.
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