Gothamist

A non-profit newsroom, powered by WNYC.

Gothamist

WNYC Listen Live

Donate

 

 

Food

Cory Booker Discusses Being Vegetarian On Reddit: "A Very Personal Decision"


By

Jen Chung

Published Jul 15, 2012

Modified Jul 18, 2012


Share

FacebookTwitterRedditEmail


Never miss a story

 Email address

By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .

Cory Booker answers questions on Reddit

 

Instagram


By

Jen Chung

Published Jul 15, 2012

Modified Jul 18, 2012


Share

FacebookTwitterRedditEmail


We rely on your support to make local news available to all

Make your contribution now and help Gothamist thrive in 2026. Donate today

Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations

Newark Mayor Cory Booker, everyone's favorite hero and Chris Christie's nemesis, sat down for his Reddit Ask-Me-Anything session and fielded questions ranging from Facebook's donation to Newark schools, what he thought when running into a burning building to save a woman ("can't believe I'm so out of shape climbing a flight of stairs"), and
how he feels about comparisons to President Obama ("He went to an elite highfalutin law school: Harvard. I went to a gritty, inner city, law school: Yale"). And then he discussed his love affair with two dudes... named Ben & Jerry.

A question came up about being vegetarian and Booker explained:

As for the vegetarian thing. . . I became a vegi almost exactly 20 years ago. I was a competitive athlete back then and wanted to see what could take my body to the next level, also I was reading everything I could about food, where it came from, what impact it had both on me and my world. So in 1992, I decided to experiment, to try it for 3 to 6 months. And WOW! when I did my athletic performance took off, I felt so much better and it comported with other values and ideas I was exploring at the time, so I decided that this is what is best for me. It was a very personal decision. I tried to be vegan for a while too. But that didn't last long. There is something about those two guys I love so much, that I lean on, that I so badly just want to hug: Ben & Jerry - I couldn't leave them. . . I think those guys need me too much. Ben . . . Jerry, I'm here for you. . . Call me. . .

Tagged

ben & Jerry

cory booker

newark

vegetarian


Jen Chung

Jen Chung is a former WNYC and Gothamist editor.

Read more

Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations


Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations


MORE food

North African restaurants are rare in NYC. These 10 are the best.

Egyptian, Moroccan, Algerian and Tunisian food is delicious but underrepresented in the city.

By

Robert Sietsema

Published Oct 10, 2026


10 dishes that demonstrate the delicious diversity of curry in New York City

The global dish is shapeshifting and ubiquitous.

By

Robert Sietsema

Food

10 dishes that demonstrate the delicious diversity of curry in New York City

The global dish is shapeshifting and ubiquitous.

By

Robert Sietsema


Frozen yogurt is back in New York City. So are the super long lines.

By

Sonia Rao

5 NYC banana puddings as good as Magnolia's

By

Hannah Frishberg

Where to eat in Greenpoint, Brooklyn right now, from Polish to Sichuan to Iberian

By

Robert Sietsema


Never miss a story

Catch up on the most important headlines with a roundup of essential NYC stories, delivered to your inbox daily.

Sign upEmail address

By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .