The Eating Habits Of Russian Billionaires

The rich, as Fitzgerald once said, are not like you and me. Billionaires are perhaps even less so. Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich's receipt from Nello's in New York City is making the rounds. It is a significant cultural artifact worth deconstructing. We learn, for example, that Roman spent more on a meal--$52,000 for a party of six --than median household income in the United States. The most expensive items on the receipt were wine and truffles.

This is not Roman's first high-profile brush with expensive food. Roman Abramovich, to be sure, is a bit of a culinary diva. From Page Six last August:

Roman Abramovich, the friend of Vladimir Putin said to be worth $23.5 billion, was refused a table the other night at Bistrot in Forte dei Marmi on the Tuscan coast, The Times of London reports.

When restaurateur David Vaiani told Abramovich his eatery was fully booked and said, "You can try again tomorrow," the oil tycoon was so furious that he took off immediately for Sardinia on his yacht, Grand Bleu, which has five cooks and 45 waiters.

Is there any wonder that someone with so many food issues is has a thing for Bacon?