A Max Minute: LA Times Food Critic Outed

A Max Minute: LA Times Food Critic Outed

Not S. Irene Virbila

Anytime you read a research study, the first thing to do is to consider the source. The same thing goes for an opinion piece. So my words as to the matter of LA Times Restaurant Critic S. Irene Virbila “out-ed” by Red Medicine’s Noah Ellis should be prefaced by this.

I was a friend of Virbila, and her husband, for years before she got the position at the LA Times, the paper I wrote for from 1984-2003. Virbila took Ruth Reichl’s coveted position, and effectively became my boss. I worked with her for almost a decade before moving to Vegas.

Now, when I worked with her, she often got irritated with me, for being too visible. She’s been a fanatic about staying under the radar, and she expected the same from her staff. I’m the opposite. I like attention, but I did my level best to respect her wishes. Even though I’ve had comped meals in Vegas, I never did while working for the Times, nor has she.

None of her friends call her Irene. I won’t say what her first initial stands for, but when you read comments about her referring to her as Irene, you know they were written by someone who does not know her well. What I can say about her is this. She’s honest and fair, and has a terrific palate. She could taste a single poppy seed in a 12-inch muffin, and when she says a restaurant is good, you can count on it.

She’s also someone who has never sought the limelight. Unlike many of us, and I don’t exclude myself, she’s never been on the make. She’s just trying to do her job, not trying to cash in, like most of her peers. If you want to call her harsh, try reading A.A. Gill in the London Times, or our own Vegas bad boy, that lawyer guy, whatshisname.

She speaks good French and better Italian, but she never tells anyone. (Unlike somebody I know, who loves to trumpet how many languages I speak.) Calling her mean spirited is silly. This woman loves food, wine, her friends, and her family as much as anybody I know.

As to what Mr. Ellis did, I’m not going to dignify it with a description. How would you like it, Mr. Ellis, if a customer walked up to the station where you put the food out, and brought it himself to his table. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve seen my food baking under a heat lamp, because the server was too busy to bring it to the table.

We all have jobs to do. So, Mr. Ellis, if you wanna take it outside, I am available. I’m 61 years old and I’ll have a few drinks first, so it will be a fair fight. Just name the time and place. Max.

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