Why the new mayor of NYC is coming under fire for a fish dish

New York City Mayor Eric Adams has been a well-known evangelist of plant-based eating since he was diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes and went vegan. But his efforts to spread the gospel of going meatless have come under fire this week, after Politico reported that he often dines on fish—the same week that he ordered all NYC schools serve vegan food on Fridays. Adams responded to questions about his diet by saying that he is “perfectly imperfect,” a retort that might also apply to the rollout of vegan Fridays at the country’s largest school district. Adams announced the sweeping change on Thursday, giving families just a single day’s notice of the new policy. Students across the city shared pictures of meals that were decidedly less than appetizing, from dry black bean tacos to a meal of mixed vegetables, packaged apple slices, and corn chips. Other students received meals—like a bean and cheese burrito—that were vegetarian, but not vegan. —Jessica Terrell