JEAN GEORGES ENTERPRISES, shit, meet fan. fan, meet shit. Options

[PassionFoodie]

http://www.reuters.com/article/lifestyleMolt/idUSN1731439420080917
Chef settles New York suit over tips for $1.75 million
Wed Sep 17, 2008 7:22pm EDT Email | Print | Share| Reprints | Single Page | Recommend (0) [-] Text [+] By Christine Kearney

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Celebrity French chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten has agreed to settle a lawsuit over tips filed by waiters at his swank New York restaurants for $1.75 million, court papers say.

Vongerichten, who owns restaurants in London, Paris and Shanghai as well as the Michelin-awarded Jean Georges in Manhattan, agreed to the payout after eight former waiters sued on behalf of all employees working at his New York restaurants Jean Georges, Spice Market, Perry Street, JoJo and 66.

The waiters claimed the restaurants deprived them of tips by sharing them with managers and not paying them for all hours worked. The lawsuit is one of the highest-profile cases in a spate of similar suits filed against New York restaurants in past years for cheating employees out of tips.

The settlement of $1.75 million includes more than $583,000 in lawyers' fees, according to settlement papers filed last week that still await final approval by a federal judge in Manhattan federal court.

The remaining $1.14 million would be divided up among staff who worked at the restaurants during certain periods.

Plaintiffs' lawyers said they could not comment on the settlement, and a lawyer for Vongerichten also declined comment.

The settlement papers said all the restaurants denied wrongdoing and that they had complied with labor laws, but settled for a variety of reasons including the risk of the outcome of ligation.

Other high-profile restaurants sued by waiters and former staff for stealing tips and cheating on wages include Pastis, the Robert De Niro co-owned Nobu New York, and hip-hop star Jay Z's nightspot.

(Editing by Michelle Nichols and Eric Walsh)

[MONEYMAN]

http://www.reuters.com/article/lifestyleMolt/idUSN1731439420080917
Chef settles New York suit over tips for $1.75 million
Wed Sep 17, 2008 7:22pm EDT Email | Print | Share| Reprints | Single Page | Recommend (0) [-] Text [+] By Christine Kearney

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Celebrity French chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten has agreed to settle a lawsuit over tips filed by waiters at his swank New York restaurants for $1.75 million, court papers say.

Vongerichten, who owns restaurants in London, Paris and Shanghai as well as the Michelin-awarded Jean Georges in Manhattan, agreed to the payout after eight former waiters sued on behalf of all employees working at his New York restaurants Jean Georges, Spice Market, Perry Street, JoJo and 66.

The waiters claimed the restaurants deprived them of tips by sharing them with managers and not paying them for all hours worked. The lawsuit is one of the highest-profile cases in a spate of similar suits filed against New York restaurants in past years for cheating employees out of tips.

The settlement of $1.75 million includes more than $583,000 in lawyers' fees, according to settlement papers filed last week that still await final approval by a federal judge in Manhattan federal court.

The remaining $1.14 million would be divided up among staff who worked at the restaurants during certain periods.

Plaintiffs' lawyers said they could not comment on the settlement, and a lawyer for Vongerichten also declined comment.

The settlement papers said all the restaurants denied wrongdoing and that they had complied with labor laws, but settled for a variety of reasons including the risk of the outcome of ligation.

Other high-profile restaurants sued by waiters and former staff for stealing tips and cheating on wages include Pastis, the Robert De Niro co-owned Nobu New York, and hip-hop star Jay Z's nightspot.

(Editing by Michelle Nichols and Eric Walsh)

And yet the empire continues to thin

The review on this new Las Vegas deal says it all...............WHEN WILL THIS END!!!



http://www.eatinglv.com/2008/09/aria-annou...ty-chef-lineup/

http://money.cnn.com/news/newsfeeds/articl...____LATH016.htm

This post has been edited by MONEYMAN: Sep 18 2008, 11:44 AM

[PassionFoodie]

Is anyone here getting money back from this settlement????

And who was the CFO or finance boss during those years involved????

This post has been edited by PassionFoodie: Sep 18 2008, 11:35 AM

[MONEYMAN]

Is anyone here getting money back from this settlement????

And who was the CFO or finance boss during those years involved????

I heard the CFO would continuelly tell management the illegal nature of the tipping policy and was countermanded by the ,,,,,"THAT'S THE WAY WE DO IT AND WE CANNOT CHANGE IT"

Sounds like they rather listen to there well paid loophole lawyers than a finance professional.

Maybe the lawyers insurance will pay back the 1.75m.............where is the justice? (Hope they don't have AIG)

Remember there is only one boss at JGM...........everyone else had no say!!




I LOVE THIS TOWN!!!

This post has been edited by MONEYMAN: Sep 18 2008, 12:19 PM

[PassionFoodie]

I heard the CFO would continuelly tell management the illegal nature of the tipping policy and was countermanded by the ,,,,,"THAT'S THE WAY WE DO IT AND WE CANNOT CHANGE IT"

Sounds like they rather listen to there well paid loophole lawyers than a finance professional.

Maybe the lawyers insurance will pay back the 1.75m.............where is the justice? (Hope they don't have AIG)

Remember there is only one boss at JGM...........everyone else had no say!!


I LOVE THIS TOWN!!!

That comment in caps sounds like it's coming from someone who doesn't want to bother the one boss with the illegal nature of the tipping policies...

I think I who THAT is....which brings me back to that age old question....why does the boss keep her after all this???? She has become VERY costly. The VSH verdict is still outstanding.

$$$Man, I pose this question to you....Do you think that the boss intentionally stole or just intrusted his deputies to "deal with the tipping problem" ?

[MONEYMAN]

That comment in caps sounds like it's coming from someone who doesn't want to bother the one boss with the illegal nature of the tipping policies...

I think I who THAT is....which brings me back to that age old question....why does the boss keep her after all this???? She has become VERY costly. The VSH verdict is still outstanding.

$$$Man, I pose this question to you....Do you think that the boss intentionally stole or just intrusted his deputies to "deal with the tipping problem" ?

Passion,

I would tell you that instead of finding a way to compensate their middle managers, without it coming out of their own pockets, most restaurantuers start looking for tricks and loopholes that solve their problem. (Check with the attornies)

No...I don't think that the boss intentionally stole.

But I do think that his refusal to listen to good council or surround himself with competant executive management that is willing to buck the powers that be, tell the truth and not just what they want to hear is a dangerous premise.(Old favors outweight good judgement)

Unfortunately, my still favorite chef is still responsable for the final decision.

I have posted many times the need for a new financial model for the restaurant industry.
We are in the 21st century and the industrry is still using models from the 1920's
Add to that, the standard ego driven control freaks that own these establishments and these are the results.

Nobody wins.............expect the attornies

The irony that we call ourselves the hospitality industry is almost comical. Being a great chef is not the same as being a great businessman. Both are artfull in there approach, but not really mutually exclusive.

That is why good leadership surrounds itself with the best talent available.
Not just a yes man that only tells you what you want to hear. Organizations are only as good as their people, especially in the restaurant industry.

I will telll you that there is a new group being formed that is about to present to the industry a new formula for success that will change the way things are done. And the winners will not include the attornies.

STAY TUNNED!!!

Lead. follow, or get out of the way!
:LEE IACOCO

This post has been edited by MONEYMAN: Sep 18 2008, 01:23 PM

[PassionFoodie]

Step up or step aside! Christopher Titus... I always liked that one...

Thanks $$$Man.

I wonder if the new model is going to be similiar to Thomas Keller's model of salary versus hourly?

[MONEYMAN]

Step up or step aside! Christopher Titus... I always liked that one...

Thanks $$$Man.

I wonder if the new model is going to be similiar to Thomas Keller's model of salary versus hourly?

Better................Full healthcare (non-contribution), Profit Sharing, 401k, (matching), 13 week paid training, doulble digit hourly wage or competitive salary with paid vacation ............you know, like a real company!!!

It's time to make hospitality a real career choice instead of a temporary solution. (Welcome to the 21st century)

This post has been edited by MONEYMAN: Sep 18 2008, 02:37 PM

[PassionFoodie]

Better................Full healthcare (non-contribution), Profit Sharing, 401k, (matching), 13 week paid training, doulble digit hourly wage or competitive salary with paid vacation ............you know, like a real company!!!

It's time to make hospitality a real career choice instead of a temporary solution. (Welcome to the 21st century)

This will greatly benefit FOH.

[Dishwasher]

Better................Full healthcare (non-contribution), Profit Sharing, 401k, (matching), 13 week paid training, doulble digit hourly wage or competitive salary with paid vacation ............you know, like a real company!!!

It's time to make hospitality a real career choice instead of a temporary solution. (Welcome to the 21st century)

That would be a healthy change, but is the industry ready for it is the question. Too many people profit alot from the way it is..

[Dishwasher]

http://money.cnn.com/news/newsfeeds/articl...____LATH016.htm

This link isn't working..

[Inkslinger]

i heard the class action lawsuit was settled recently. can anyone confirm that?

So 'ihatebunnies' was right!

We rule!

[Inkslinger]

Better................Full healthcare (non-contribution), Profit Sharing, 401k, (matching), 13 week paid training, doulble digit hourly wage or competitive salary with paid vacation ............you know, like a real company!!!

It's time to make hospitality a real career choice instead of a temporary solution. (Welcome to the 21st century)

[Inkslinger]

http://nymag.com/daily/food/2008/09/jean-g...chten_leav.html

[MONEYMAN]

This will greatly benefit FOH.

No...this will benefit the entire industry, FOH,BOH,...........and more importantly in this economy your customer

A current politition talks about "A Change we can believe in"


STAY TUNED!!!

[MONEYMAN]

That would be a healthy change, but is the industry ready for it is the question. Too many people profit alot from the way it is..

They make much more and legally in the 21st century model.............This industry must change to survive.
Change is unavoidable.........Improvement should be our goal.

This post has been edited by MONEYMAN: Sep 18 2008, 04:22 PM

[PassionFoodie]

They make much more and legally in the 21st century model.............This industry must change to survive.
Change is unavoidable.........Improvement should be our goal.

$$$Man. Run for President!!!!!!

[PassionFoodie]

http://www.reuters.com/article/domesticNew...lBrandChannel=0

New York's top restaurants plagued by tip trouble

[jo]

http://nymag.com/daily/food/2008/09/jean-g...chten_leav.html

http://www.reuters.com/article/domesticNew...lBrandChannel=0

New York's top restaurants plagued by tip trouble

Now wouldn't it be nice if Joshua David Stein ate crow right now? He spends all his time denigrating the Cipriani's and Sacco's of the world, and complaining about "Top Chef," but couldn't care less about the plight of the employees.

Yeah, I wouldn't hold my breath waiting for an apology or a retraction, or anything like that.

[jo]

http://nymag.com/daily/food/2008/09/jean-g...chten_leav.html

That's pretty funny, that a whole day has gone by and there's no comment under that item, from within "Cuilinary Concepts"? I would have thought for sure they would want to say something about Abbe holding her "tired basket of sour grapes" and brag about how they don't care about the settlement, because they have $100M.