FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Monday June 18, 2013

Brian Waldrip (202) 225-4035

Press Release
MICA: STOP AMTRAK CHEFS DISHING UP LAVISH MEALS TAXPAYERS FOOT NEARLY ONE BILLION DOLLAR LOSS
Washington, DCAccording to recent media reports, Amtrak has brought onboard award-winning chefs from across the country while their losses on food service remain staggering. United States Representative and former Chair of the House Transportation Committee John Mica said, Despite Amtrak food service losses over the past eleven years now topping $906 million dollars, Master Gourmet Chefs continue to dish up recipes for costly gourmet train cuisine. With a $72 million food service loss in 2012, its time for Congress to stem the financial bleeding from chefinspired gourmet meals on Amtraks money losing routes. I intend to have our Government Operations Subcommittee investigate these outrageous expenditures and have asked Rail Subcommittee Chairman Jeff Denham to also review these practices. With a total $1.4 billion Amtrak taxpayer subsidy for just the last year, extravagant chef-designed dishes need to be considered for the chopping block, Mica added. Some Amtrak long-distance trains that feature these gourmet menus lose more than $400 per passenger ticket. Despite federal law that passed in 1981 mandating Amtrak break even on its food and beverage service by 1982, Amtrak has gone gourmet with renowned Seattle Master Chef and James Beard Award winner Tom Douglas and other high-end chefs cooking up costly recipes for Amtrak dishes. Other high-end chef advisors include Michel Richard, Master Chef of Washington, D.C.s Central restaurant and Sara Jenkins Rustic Italian Specialties, featured in New York Citys East Village restaurants Porchetta and Porsena. Even with long-distance losses mounting, Amtrak retains Executive Chef Daniel Malzhan who designs menu selections for long-distance routes. These heavily subsidized routes whose losses continue to mount currently feature lamb shank and spice-rubbed Atlantic salmon filet. These entrees are featured on Amtraks Sunset Limited East, California Zephyr and Southwest Chief routes, all of which lost more money on food and beverage service in 2012 than the previous year. In 2012, every Amtrak passenger ticket sold was underwritten $46 by taxpayers, while money losing love train snacks were featured on Acela Northeast Corridor routes. Additionally, taxpayers subsidize every hamburger $4.37 and every soda sold is underwritten by taxpayers by $1.40. The Subcommittee on Government Operations also intends to look at the costs to taxpayers to annually fund Amtraks Chefs Conclave in Wilmington, Delaware. Rep. Mica concluded, Taxpayers would choke if they knew the costs of these gourmet meals. ###