They went from sear to “seeya!”
Page Six hears that fiery chef John Tesar is no longer at his own restaurant, Knife Modern Steak, after a blow-out confrontation with striking workers.
Just three months after the Michelin-starred cook opened the eatery at the tony Laguna Cliffs Marriott, the California hotel tells us its “rebranding” the space and that Tesar is taking his talents elsewhere.
in early August that a video had surfaced showing Tesar approaching picketing hospitality workers outside the hotel and yelling piquant phrases including “Take your union and shove it up your ass” and “Suck my d–k.
“You are a bad person,” Tesar, who was vacationing at the hotel with his family when the confrontation went down, said. “You’re a lazy .”
A source told us at the time that Tesar also broke a drum that one of the workers was holding after becoming upset about the noise.
Southern California’s hospitality workers, represented by Unite Here Local 11, have over pay and benefits.
Now we’re told the chef and the hotel are parting ways.
“The Laguna Cliffs Marriot Resort and Spa and John Tesar have mutually agreed to end their relationship, effective immediately,” a rep for the hotel tells us. “The restaurant at the hotel remains open and plans to rebrand with a new upscale concept in late 2023.
Following the blow out, the hotel 86’d the chef from the property. Reps for the hotel told us, “We have zero tolerance for violence of any kind. The actions and behavior of Mr. Tesar are not reflective of our values or our commitment to fostering a positive and safe work environment for all associates. We immediately removed Mr. Tesar from the property and are examining appropriate next steps.”
Tesar, “It’s not my proudest moment, but these people harassed my children [because of the noise].” He also claimed to the site that he was not removed from the hotel, but merely checked out 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 ever worked with.”
He was also a James Beard Foundation semifinalist and created the rehearsal dinner for 1993 wedding.
In 2009, he left 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 have ever seen! ”
Tesar denied he was fired in the 2009 incident, claiming he left for financial reasons.
Reps for Tesar did not respond to request for comment.
