‘Top Chef’ John Tesar walked out to his own restaurant three months after altercation
They went from Sear to “seeya!” »
Page Six learns that fiery chef John Tesar is no longer at his own restaurant, Knife Modern Steak, after a blowout confrontation with striking workers.
Just three months after the Michelin-starred chef opened the restaurant at the Tony Laguna Cliffs Marriott, the Californian hotel announces that it has “rebranded” the space and that Tesar is taking its talents elsewhere.
Page Six exclusively reported in early August that a video had surfaced showing Tesar approaching hospitality workers picketing the hotel and shouting stinging phrases, including “Grab your union and shove it.” in the a*s” and “Suck the shit out of me”.
“You are a bad person,” said Tesar, who was vacationing at the hotel with his family when the confrontation erupted. “You are a lazy hang on.”
A source told us at the time that Tesar also broke a drum that one of the workers was holding after he got upset over the noise.
Southern California hospitality workers, represented by Unite Here Local 11, are on strike for their wages and benefits.
We are now told that the chef and the hotel are going their separate ways.
“The Laguna Cliffs Marriot Resort and Spa and John Tesar have mutually agreed to end their relationship, effective immediately,” a hotel representative told us. “The hotel restaurant remains open and plans to change its name to a new upscale concept in late 2023.”
Following the explosion, the hotel fired the property manager. Hotel representatives told us, “We have zero tolerance for any form of violence. Mr. Tesar’s actions and behavior do not reflect our values or our commitment to fostering a positive and safe work environment for all a*sociates. We have immediately evicted Mr. Tesar from the property and are reviewing appropriate next steps.
Tesar told Eater, “It’s not my proudest moment, but these people bullied my kids. [because of the noise].” He also claimed on the site that he was not kicked out of the hotel, but simply left the hotel and was not returning to the property to “keep the peace on all sides.” “.
Tesar was a close friend of the late chef and TV host Anthony Bourdain, who wrote about him in his books, calling him “the most talented cook I have ever worked with”.
He was also a semi-finalist for the James Beard Foundation and created Tommy Mottola and Mariah Carey’s wedding rehearsal dinner in 1993.
In 2009, he quit Texas restaurant The Mansion after 20 employees complained about his behavior, including one who accused him of calling him “tall, fat and stupid” and “the laziest Colombian I’ve ever seen.” have never seen! »
Tesar denied being fired in the 2009 incident, saying he left for financial reasons.
Representatives for Tesar did not respond to request for comment.
