# Opinions Needed



## DWSmith (Jul 31, 2013)

I received the following email tonight. Not knowing any of the restaurants listed, I decided to ask those in the know what their opinions of the OP might be. I deleted his name just to be on the safe side.

Message:
Dear Board Smith, My name is and I'm from Portugal. I'm sending this e-mail to enquire you about a possible partnership that I believe, might interest you. I'm a young cook that is doing his best to have a brilliant future. During the past year I've been working at some of the best restaurants in Lisbon. I'll beggin by saying what I can deliver to your interests. I'm currently working at Restaurante Feitoria, Portugal (1 Michelin Star) and in the next 16 months I'll be working at Viajante, London (1 Michelin Star, The World's 50 Best Restaurants), Noma, Copenhagen (2 Michelin Stars, 2nd Best Restaurant in The World, Most Famous Restaurant In The World), In De Wulf, Belgium (1 Michelin Star, The World's 50 Best Restaurants) and Restaurant Andre, Singapore (The World's 50 Best Restaurants). Besides that I'll finish my degree in Culiny Arts in Escola Superior de Hotelaria e Turismo do Estoril, work in some of the most prestigious gastronomic events in Portugal like International Gourmet Festival (http://www.internationalgourmetfestival.com/) that's taking place in Vila Joya, Portugal (2 Michelin Stars, The World's 50 Best Restaurants) and it's going to gather 37 of the best chefs in the World to make a 10-day event, and it's going to be the biggest gastronomic festival ever held in Portugal. I'll also take part in Rota das Estrelas, a 7-weekend event made by all the starry chefs from Portugal that celebrates the win/maintenance of their Michelin Stars. Besides that I'll be in every other important event that takes place in Portugal and probably some in Spain. I'm also associated with some brands to make show-cookings in food & beverage professionals fairs like Alimentária 2014 and SISAG 2014 that every year draw thousands of professionals from Portugal and Spain I would commit myself to bring your brand to this events and to the restaurants where I'll work. Some of the events I will participate draw a lot of media attention. If I have your brand advertised it will arouse the attention of however is watching and still don't know your products and they should be able to find your website easily. Portugal is going through a golden age when it comes to gastronomy, everyone talks about cooking and the cooks are getting more attention and coverage every single day. I can tell you that we have very good chefs in Portugal, but it's very rare to find a young cook that is able to work in so many of the best restaurants in Europe, much less in that space of time, so I honestly expect to give some interviews to magazines, newspapers and tv specially after my time in Noma. When that happens I wouldnt't forget to mention who helped along the way. Every cook loves good kitchen gear and like everyone else we like to find new brands that are not so known around here, so I can assure you that Board Smith having such high quality products that are essential to a professional chef as it is will arouse a lot of attention from everyone and they will ask to more about them and to give them a try. In that kind of events, where chefs from different countries are invited and bring some of their kitchen staff is a perfect chance to spread the word. Even in the college my colleagues will soon end their degrees and find themselves looking for more serious kitchen gear and they will remember the name of your brand. Also once they finish their education they are going to work in different restaurants and spread the brand over those places. I'm also considering to start a cooking blog where I would put some recipes and photos, talk about gastronomy and about my journeys through the restaurants I'm going to work at, and I have friends that are producers and they already told me that if I was interested in making some cooking videos that they would do them with me, so that might be an option. I've told you the restaurants I'm sure I will be working in, but after that I will keep wanting more and I'm already starting to make plans ahead. All I can promise you is that I have very big ambitions and I'm a very grateful person so you should know that if you help me I will do everything I can to bring you new costumers. What I would like from this partnership would be from you to provide me with some of your products that I believe I may need. Then I can use your products in college, show-cookings, restaurants, in my blog and videos. I'm investing all I have to be one of the best chefs in Portugal in the near future and I would like to be able to be sponsored by one of the best brands in the industry. I believe this partnership can be extremly advantageous to you. I would like to hear your feedback, even if you think this is not of your interest. Thanks in advance for your time,


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## bikehunter (Jul 31, 2013)

Oh, and BTW...I sometimes spend some time in Nigeria. ;-)


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## HHH Knives (Jul 31, 2013)

Hmm, As I started reading this it quickly became apparent it sounded familiar. SO I looked back through y in box and found this 
I received this email 6/16/2013 


"Dear HHH,
My name is and I'm from Portugal.
I'm sending this e-mail to enquire you about a possible partnership that I believe, might interest you.
I'm a young cook that is doing his best to have a brilliant future. During the past year I've working in some of the best restaurants in Lisbon.
I'll being by saying what I can deliver to your interests. For the next 16 months I'll work in Restaurante Feitoria, Portugal (1 Michelin Star), Viajante, London (1 Michelin Star, The World's 50 Best Restaurants), Noma, Copenhagen (2 Michelin Stars, 2nd Best Restaurant in The World, Most Famous Restaurant In The World), In De Wulf, Belgium (1 Michelin Star, The World's 50 Best Restaurants) and Restaurant Andre, Singapore (The World's 50 Best Restaurants). Besides that I'll finish my degree in Culiny Arts in Escola Superior de Hotelaria e Turismo do Estoril, work in some of the most prestigious gastronomic events in Portugal like International Gourmet Festival (http://www.internationalgourmetfestival.com/) that's taking place in Vila Joya, Portugal (2 Michelin Stars, The World's 50 Best Restaurants) and it's going to gather 34 of the best chefs in the World to make a 9-day event, and it's going to be the biggest gastronomic festival ever held in Portugal. I'll also take part in Rota das Estrelas, a 7-weekend event made by all the starry chefs from Portugal that celebrates the win/maintenance of their Michelin Stars. Besides that I can assure you I'll be in every other important event that takes place in Portugal and probably some in Spain, I'm also associated with some brands to make show-cookings in professionals fairs like Alimentária 2013 that every year draw thousands of professionals from Portugal and Spain.
I would commit myself to use your knives, a chefs coat and an apron with your brand patch during all this events and in all the restaurants where I'll work.

Some of the events I will participate draw a lot of media attention. If I have your brand clothing it will arouse the curiosity of however is watching and still don't know your band and they should be able to find your website easily. Portugal is going through a golden age when it comes to gastronomy, everyone talks about cooking and the cooks are getting more attention and coverage every single day. I can tell you that we have very good chefs in Portugal, but it's very rare to find a young cook that is able to work in so many of the best restaurants in Europe, much less in that space of time, so I honestly expect to give some interviews to magazines, newspapers and tv specially after my time in Noma. When that happens I wouldnt't forget to mention who helped along the way.

Every cook loves good knives and like everyone else we like to find new brands that are not so known around here, so I can assure you that your knives being as good as they are will arouse a lot of attention from everyone and they will ask to more about them and to give them a try. In that kind of events, where chefs from different countries are invited and bring some of their kitchen staff is a perfect chance to spread the word. Even in the college my colleagues will soon end their degrees and find themselves looking for more serious kitchen gear and they will remember the name of your brand. Also once they finish their education they are going to work in different restaurants and spread the brand over those places.

I have friends that are producers and they already told me that if I was interested in making some cooking videos that they would do them with me, so that might be an option.

I've told you the restaurants I'm sure I will be working in, but after that I will keep wanting more and I'm already thinking about going to Alinea in Chicago and Eleven Madison Park in New York but that I can't promise because it's hard to make plans more than 16 months in advance.

All I can promise you is that I have very big ambitions and I'm a very grateful person so you should know that if you help me I will do everything I can to bring you new costumers.
I'm investing all I have to be one of the best chefs in Portugal in the near future and I would like to be able to be sponsored by one of the best brands in the industry.
I believe this partnership can be extremly advantageous to your.
Please let me know if you have any interest in further discuss this with me.
Best Regards,"

Name left out.. 


Ill be interested to hear what you guys have to say about this as well. Dave. I hope you dont mind me adding this info and his email to the thread. If so I will ask the mods to remove it.


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## mkriggen (Jul 31, 2013)

bikehunter said:


> Oh, and BTW...I sometimes spend some time in Nigeria. ;-)


<BR><BR><IMG class=inlineimg title=lmao border=0 alt="" src="http://cdn.kitchenknifeforums.com/images/smilies/lmao.gif" smilieid="199"><IMG class=inlineimg title=yeahthat border=0 alt="" src="http://cdn.kitchenknifeforums.com/images/smilies/yeahthat.gif" smilieid="212">


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## Brad Gibson (Jul 31, 2013)

Sounds like a kid doing stages in Europe and trying to get some awesome free stuff. I don't know if you know this but 99% of the people who work in the restaurants he listed work for free. I doubt he will get any publicity for working in those places, especially outside of the kitchen itself. I personally wouldn't trust that he would offer you anything that is worthwhile. I honestly think he just wants your amazing products and cannot afford them. He has a cool story but I doubt it will be noticed. If this was Thomas Keller or Rene Redzepi himself I would think about offering my products. But for a kid who is a nobody, trying to work for free in some of the worlds best restaurants, I don't think I'd send him a stick with my name on it. Who knows who this person could be and could do in the restaurant world? As of now he is a nobody and will remain an anonymous free worker for a very very long time. :2cents:


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## Mrmnms (Jul 31, 2013)

I don't envision him lugging one of your beautiful boards all over Europe, even if he has the best of intentions.


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## Gravy Power (Jul 31, 2013)

FYI to all craftsmen on the board. I am a culinary student with high ambitions, so feel free to send me samples of all your products.

Thanks. :tease:


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## bikehunter (Jul 31, 2013)

Brad Gibson said:


> Sounds like a kid doing stages in Europe and trying to get some awesome free stuff. s:



You're very kind Brad, but call me cynical....he sounds like a crook to me.


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## daveb (Jul 31, 2013)

I think you've won the lottery - and didn't have to buy a ticket. Suggest ignore it and hope whoever sold your email address only sold it to him.


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## AFKitchenknivesguy (Jul 31, 2013)

Scam


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## Dave Martell (Jul 31, 2013)

I got it too.....dropped it in the sh*tcan box


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## PierreRodrigue (Jul 31, 2013)

I got the same one. It went to the trash as fast as it came in. Got a similar one from a chic from south america.


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## Dave Martell (Jul 31, 2013)

PierreRodrigue said:


> I got the same one. It went to the trash as fast as it came in. Got a similar one from a chic from south america.




What was she offering?


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## bikehunter (Jul 31, 2013)

Dave Martell said:


> What was she offering?



Might make a difference if she lived down the street rather than S. America <g


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## sachem allison (Jul 31, 2013)

dump it, I've had a similar scam but. in person. wanted me to send some custom knives to promote in Europe. Told him to get bent.


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## AFKitchenknivesguy (Jul 31, 2013)

These days, why take the risk? Old fashioned thinking, if it's too good to be true, it probably is.


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## ThEoRy (Jul 31, 2013)

Okay guys I admit it was me.....


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## Brad Gibson (Jul 31, 2013)

ThEoRy said:


> Okay guys I admit it was me.....


:bat:


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## Crothcipt (Jul 31, 2013)

Ok, if this guy was for real he would not be asking for free stuff. Isn't most interns given their own knives with the program? Also if he wants to do some cooking shows he would already be doing that, then asking for product placement money for the board he already bought.


Sad thing is people fall for this stuff. If the guy was there telling you this in person would you believe it?


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## ThEoRy (Jul 31, 2013)

Brad Gibson said:


> :bat:



I needs freee shhhhiiiiitttttt!!!


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## Justin0505 (Aug 1, 2013)

I think you should have some fun with him. 
There was a this American life story about that: some guy that responded to every scam email he got, with the intention of stringing them along and wasting as much of their time as possible; his thinking was that every minute they wasted on him, they weren't spending on some little old lady with a pension check... plus it was fun. One guy he led on a wild goose chase all over the bad parts of Africa.
I've played similar games with scammers on hacked ebay accounts. If you have a few minutes to spare for entertainment and some creativity it's actually immensely satisfying. -Like prank calling someone who REALLY deserves it.


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## Brad Gibson (Aug 1, 2013)

ThEoRy said:


> I needs freee shhhhiiiiitttttt!!!



like what kinda ssshhiit?


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## ChuckTheButcher (Aug 1, 2013)

I have never heard of anyone having stages set up in advance in that many acclaimed restaurants and the fact that he has sent the email to so many of the vendors is very suspicious. I think he is most likely a crook and at the least a culinary student with a very full head.


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## tripleq (Aug 1, 2013)

There is little doubt that this is a scam. Cyber-frauds like this exist because the scammers can net more with one fraudulent score than they can working legitimately in a year - if legitimate work exists. Some of these scams are incredibly sophisticated and tailor-made for a specific score. They have nothing better to do than watch, learn and poke at it till it works. This being said it probably isn't the best choice to go on pointing out where they failed; it just teaches them how to improve upon it.


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## DevinT (Aug 1, 2013)

I got the same email, twice.

Hoss


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## HHH Knives (Aug 1, 2013)

I figured he was a scamer. But I sent him a reply and asked some questions about what he has been cooking and he sent me some photos of some of the things he said he made. From what I can see the person who put these plates together looks to be a chef, or a chef in training. 

On a side note I had a guy resently contact me wanting some hunting knives for a TV show he claimed they were filing in Africa. I even shared a phone call with the guy. Then, after a bit of research on SCAM alert dot com or something like that. Lisa found his name and that he had run the same scam and a few other scams overseas money scams on many people. 

These guys are really shameless. When I confronted him on a email he was like Yep. Thats me, you caught me. And he was not only from the USA but his address was in Michigan about 1 hour away from me. STUPID! 

Anyways heres the pictures.


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## AFKitchenknivesguy (Aug 1, 2013)

Beautiful pics/presentation. Wonder who he/she stole them from?


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## Crothcipt (Aug 2, 2013)

lol that was what I was thinking. Prob. some food pic site.


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## Lucretia (Aug 2, 2013)

ThEoRy said:


> I needs freee shhhhiiiiitttttt!!!



I live across the street from a field of cows. Watch your mail for a free gift!


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## ChuckTheButcher (Aug 2, 2013)

Even on the very off chance he is a culinary student. It still sounds like BS. Lots of people stage at Michelin stared restaurants. It doesn't mean your gonna be a world renowned chef or tv personality. I don't mean to offend any culinary students out there, but culinary interns don't know ****. It's still going to take years for him to become a real chef. So either way it's a scam.


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## knyfeknerd (Aug 2, 2013)

Scam!
People soliciting free stuff like this really ticks me off. You guys work too hard, and could never charge enough $$$(unless you're Bob Kramer) to get rich off of your wares. 
So Lame!
Scam!


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## Justin0505 (Aug 2, 2013)

here's the link to the TAL story:
http://www.thisamericanlife.org/radio-archives/episode/363/enforcers?act=1#play

you should pass him off to someone here: http://www.419eater.com/


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## Lefty (Aug 2, 2013)

If it were true, there are some damn fine restaurants in there. Noma is insane, and Rene Redzepi is one of the best in the business. But, it sure seems fake, doesn't it?


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## DWSmith (Aug 2, 2013)

I sure am glad I posted the email I received. At least I am in some splendid company of those who he tried to scam with free goods. As someone posted earlier, I can't for the life of me seeing him cart one of my 22 pound boards across Europe to work for free in various restaurants.

Thanks for the great replies!!!


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## Mrmnms (Aug 2, 2013)

The BoardSMITH said:


> I sure am glad I posted the email I received. At least I am in some splendid company of those who he tried to scam with free goods. As someone posted earlier, I can't for the life of me seeing him cart one of my 22 pound boards across Europe to work for free in various restaurants.
> 
> Thanks for the great replies!!!



I love your board , but my wife won't move it back from the countertop to it's place on the other end of the sink.


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## Chef Doom (Aug 3, 2013)

Make him a 4 inch x 4 inch board and 2cm thick. It would be beyond generous and demand plenty of pictures to prove that the board is getting used to it's fullest potential.


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