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Andoni Luis Aduriz, head chef at the Mugaritz restaurant near San Sebastian, justifies his decision to support local farmers
On Thursday afternoon, without any official notification, we found out through the press that the members of the Spanish branch of Animal Equality have been bombarding media outlets with a brash statement revealing their great triumph: Mugaritz condemned.
[Mugaritz, an award-winning restaurant near San Sebastian, Spain, was fined for serving foie gras from force-fed ducks, bought from Momotegi, a local, unlicensed farm, which Mugaritz supports because it believes such farms produce the best foie gras.]
The statement Animal Equality released doesn't actually mention what the sanction against us is, but from what I can gather it seems to be a minor penalty, of which we'll know the full details once we receive the official notification.
This news has been accompanied by an incredible social media storm and an exaggerated response from dozens of media bodies.
This time, however, there is a slight variation that I suspect Animal Equality wasn't banking on. We've seen a real tide of support, starting with a show of solidarity from some of the journalists who contacted us to get our opinion. We have also received encouragement from dozens of clients and friends and, on top of this, chefs throughout Spain have been in touch wanting to take action. We would like to thank everyone for their support, and for backing our firm determination to defend our small producers.
In any case, we'll still be here tomorrow. We will continue to cook, to defend what makes us who we are, and to face the future with optimism. Undoubtedly, we will also have to put up with slurs against us on social media sites, untruths, small lies and subtle threats. And there's not much we can do about that.
What you have to remember is that other establishments, including ones with more Michelin stars than we have, also used livers from the Momotegi farmhouse. But this detail doesn't count for much, because this conflict isn't about correcting mistakes – it's about shutting down the activity and the sector that produces foie gras. Unfortunately, we seem to have been chosen as the target for this campaign.
I've said before that I'm against any undue suffering being inflicted upon any living creature, but I'm also against the obsessive humanisation of animals, a humanisation that seeks to question everything and destroy the cultures that shape our social diversity. I do not accept that every form of action is a worthy one, and I sense a profound ignorance towards our human evolution and reality.
An administrative penalty is a small price to pay in the fight to defend our small producers, artisans, and people who want to safeguard our fragile culinary heritage. I know that this sanction will help to give voice to an important argument: the argument that the government should protect all small industries and professionals who are helpless against laws and regulations that favour big business.
Using my position and my relationships in Euro-Toques, the organisation of European chefs seeking to protect tradition and culinary heritage, and Slow Food, the body that promotes the greater enjoyment of food through a better understanding of its taste, quality and production, I will attempt to use this sanction as an example of something that must not be repeated.
Those of us who love gastronomical culture must raise governing institutions' awareness of this matter. This way they can start protecting an excellent culture of exceptional products that fall outside of government safeguards. Right now, we have even more ammunition to achieve this end.
• This is an edited version of an article first posted on mugaritzak.com. It was translated for the Guardian by Lydia Smears.