On July 25, a fracas between John Tesar, executive chef at Knife Modern Steak at the Marriott Laguna Cliffs Resort in Dana Point, and striking hospitality workers led to hurled expletives, a broken drum, and accusations of harassment.
Footage obtained by Page Six shows Tesar, who appeared on season 10 of “Top Chef,” shouting profanities at the protesting workers. According to Tesar, who was staying at the hotel on his own dime with his children (ages 2, 5, and 12) to visit Super Nintendo World, a drum-banging protestor, who Tesar says recognized him as Knife Modern Steak’s chef, disturbed his family around 5 a.m. He alleges that the percussionist protester flipped off his child, which resulted in a heated exchange, and a broken drum.
“I’ve been getting death threats on social media since it happened, it’s terrible,” he says during a phone interview. “I was just defending my children.”
The striking workers’ union – represented by the Unite Here Local 11 labor union, who work with roughly 15,000 hospitality workers at 60 Southern California hotels – claims that Tesar broke a drum held by the striking worker.
According to the union, Laguna Cliffs workers picketing outside the hotel were exercising their right to peacefully protest and communicate their concerns.
“John Tesar’s reaction, including his action damaging a drum that a worker was holding and the vile language he used when addressing workers of the hotel, was completely unacceptable and cannot be justified by any complaint about non-violent speech by protestors,” says Maria Hernandez, spokesperson for Unite Here Local 11.
In response to the skirmish, Tesar says, “I don’t begrudge anyone having a protest or trying to make a living wage, but do it with some manners and with respect the people around.”
Tesar was reportedly asked by the hotel to leave the premises following the encounter. However, the chef denies being eighty-sixed from the premises since, according to…
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