THE FAT LOBBY.(The Talk of the Town)

The rule, when it comes to battling prohibitions, seems to be the badder the thing, the better the lobby. Of New York City's many bans--against ferrets, small planes, cell phones in schools, smoking in bars, beekeeping, lead paint--the one proposed, this month, against trans fats is neither the most nor the least contentious. This situation presents some difficulty, at least in terms of political mobilization. In the absence of any standing organization pledged to uphold the interests of nacho munchers and shortcake fiends, cholesterol defenders have been forced to proceed ad hoc. So far, they comprise a ragtag band.

The fat lobby's strategic operations are being run by administrators on loan from other groups: Richard Lipsky, of the Neighborhood Retail Alliance (the other N.R.A.), and the New York State Restaurant Association's Chuck Hunt. The corporate guns--McDonald's and the manufacturers of the hydrogenated oils that the plan seeks to eliminate--have been oddly missing from the debate. Lipsky has worked on campaigns involving Wal-Mart, street furniture, the bodega tax (against), and the legalization of garbage disposals (for); in his opinion, the concern about trans fats is legitimate, though he believes that the city's lack of communication with small businesses presents "a real elitist issue." Hunt cultivates a temperate stance--"The ban should take place on a voluntary basis, over a longer period of time"--and has emerged as the group's Ken Mehlman, composing a trans-fats questionnaire, which he mailed to about four hundred of the N.Y.S.R.A.'s members. Of the forty-two responses he received, many evinced commitment to the cause ("I object to the idea that N.Y.C. restaurants are somehow responsible for individuals' lack of nutritional moderation," "What's next: Bacon! Sausage! Cakes!") while others seemed unconcerned ("Hi, Chuck!"). One respondent wrote that he had switched to canola oil fifteen years ago and added, "We also offer tofu jack cheese made from soy, as well as non-fat sour cream to replace regular sour cream and cheese which can be substituted in any of our menu items."

If Lipsky and Hunt are the policy wonks, then Louis Nunez, the president of the local Latino Restaurant Association, has emerged as the man on the ground. (The Axis of Trans Fats, he explained later, is largely Latino/African- American/Chinese.) Nunez spreads his energies among several movements. "I'm involved with Let Free Children, H.I.V. outreach, and the Federation of Hispanic Chambers of Commerce," he said. "And I sponsor a Little League team." Last Thursday, he embarked in his black mini-van on a listening tour of the boroughs. His first stop was in Hell's Kitchen, at a Cuban restaurant called Azucar.

William Giraldo, the day manager, was on duty. "So what's up, Louis?"

Nunez launched into his spiel: many Latino restaurants hadn't received an explanatory mailing from the Health Department; customers won't like the new taste; and--tweaked for the Cuban beat--what is this, a Communist country?

Giraldo explained that his chef had ...