Philadelphia chef plans to introduce HORSE MEAT to menu at popular Sicilian restaurant



Philadelphia restaurateur Peter McAndrews is planning to add horse meat to his menu amid a controversy in Europe over the equine fare being sold as beef

Philadelphia restaurateur Peter McAndrews is planning to add horse meat to his menu amid a controversy in Europe over the equine fare being sold as beef.

McAndrews, who specializes in Italian cuisine, owns more than a half dozen restaurants in the Philadelphia area including Monsu, Modo Mio, Popolino, La Porta and Paesano's sandwich shops.

He told restaurant blogger Victor Fiorillo that he plans to 'embrace horse meat wholeheartedly' at his popular Sicilian spot, Monsu, in the spring.



'In Italian food, a lot of [horse meat] is made into salami or cured meats, and some parts are also good like regular steak would be, just like a cow,' McAndrews said.

McAndrews has served 'caballa finto,' or 'mock horse,' at Monsu in the past, which is his horseless version of an Italian favorite. He makes the dish instead with goat meat.

The slaughter of horses in the U.S. was outlawed until 2011, when President Barack Obama lifted the ban.



Other American chefs have tried to introduce horse meat to their menus in the past to little success.

New York chef Hugue Dufour made national headlines last year when he began serving horse tartar at his restaurant M. Wells Dinette.



The white building pictured, formerly Butcher's Cafe, is now called Monsu, where McAndrews plans to serve horse meat on the menu

A mere two weeks after releasing the new menu Dufour was forced to nix the dish because of protests from animal rights activists.

McAndrews told Fiorillo that he’s not concerned about any potential fallout from introducing horse to his menu, however.