After insulting and tormenting one of his workers, a cook has banned a cluster of affluent customers from revisiting his eatery.
On Twitter, Lee Skeet, the owner of Cora restaurant in Cardiff, Wales, shared screenshots of the email he dispatched to the disagreeable patrons.
“I’m not seeking fame or pursuing approval,” he wrote in his message, which has garnered 14.3K retweets and 132.3K likes. I simply believe we should start reprimanding prosperous individuals who believe they can mistreat others with disdain.”
Lee appended in the letter, crossing out the recipient’s name, that the guest and his companions amassed “the most exorbitant bill we’ve ever had on a single table here.”
While this was advantageous for his establishment, Lee unearthed a different narrative from Lily, the staff member who attended to them.
“Regrettably, I was made aware during the evening that your party’s conduct was inappropriate towards Lily, who manages the front of the house,” the chef elucidated.
Lily, 22, confided in him that she was “spoken down to, disrespected, and subjected to inappropriate touching” by members of the group.
“I’ve spent the past hour engaging in conversations with her that devastate me, making me feel like an inadequate boss and an awful father,” he added.
He requested the diner’s banking information so that he could refund their entire £1,000 bill, deducting the £100 that Lee claimed they should have tipped Lily since they left her nothing at all.
Lee also asked that they never go back to the restaurant.
The man declared, “Lily means a lot more to me than money.” “I also think you ought to assess the company you keep.”
Some Twitter users praised Lee for being a good employer, while others advised him to keep the cash instead of returning it.
Lee concluded that they had a valid point. He followed up the next day with a tweet in which he admitted that he “reacted too emotionally and hastily.” He then made the choice to give Lily the money instead of returning it to the buyer.
Lee tweeted a screenshot of Lily, whose full name is Elisabeth Gryphon, receiving a £1,000 bank transfer.
Lee is a renowned culinary expert who has collaborated with esteemed chefs such as Gordon Ramsay, Marcus Wareing, and Tom Aikens. In January of this year, he ventured into his inaugural restaurant named Cora.
In February, Lee managed to raise an impressive £30,862 on Kickstarter, which enabled him to acquire a professional-grade kitchen for his establishment. Prior to this, he had been concocting dishes for patrons using basic household appliances, including a makeshift oven held together by duct tape.
On the Kickstarter page, Lee expressed his gratitude for his exceptional front-of-house team, particularly highlighting Lily, who, at the age of 21, runs the operations flawlessly. He also mentioned his own occasional involvement in serving, and the occasional assistance from his incredibly supportive partner Hannah when she’s not occupied with her full-time career.
Some may recall hearing about Lee in the news a few years ago when he faced a life-threatening incident. In 2017, he was involved in a hit-and-run accident with a crane truck, narrowly escaping death.
“I could almost reach out and touch the truck as it approached us,” he recounted to Wales Online. “All I could think of was fear and pushing my son away as forcefully as possible.” Luckily, he was on wheels at the time of impact, which mitigated the severity of the collision. Nevertheless, the accident left him severely injured, with his leg completely crushed. The driver initially fled the scene but was later apprehended and admitted guilt. Consequently, he had his driver’s license revoked.
Through rigorous rehabilitation, Lee managed to regain his ability to walk, displaying incredible resilience and determination.
Lee undeniably deserves accolades for being an exceptional and compassionate employer. The workplace he fosters is truly fortunate to have him at the helm.
What a thoughtful employer and his staff are just as caring . So lovely to read this great story thankyou .