So much for the loopholes




edited by abbe to include full article with hyperlink

Abbe, get ready to make that movie...start working on the screen play....based on true events....The Empire Comes Down.

I have questions:

1-How does the income of someone like JGV get from his business to his personal account?
2-Does he pay himself a salary?
3-I am under the assumption that the JG Management company will have to pay any found default of payments to employees. Is this right? (Not from the owner's personal monies.)
4- Does he really know what is going on being that far up? (Lois comes to mind here) I know she is hated, but rich people delegate so much that they don't always know...though THEY SHOULD BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE.)

Moneyman...you know anything about this? You see very knowledgeable about this sort of thing.

I am posting this here, it's the public area...

Many thanks.

What a fucking, damn shame...so much talent yet so much greed. I wanted to believe so bad that JG knows nothing and Lois is to blame...but I am not that naive. Unless the courts prove otherwise...(sorry, true words and feelings here).

You know...a lot of talent open their own places that have worked for him...no wonder they don't partner with him...I always wondered about that. Now I know...

You would never guess this shit was going on...when you meet him.

Happy weekend everyone. Off for some good Italian eats..Babbo's perhaps...

uhh yah. i have a few questions of my own. i mean
it's not like i'm COMPLETELY one hundred percent ignorant as to what was going down up in that "empire" but i am a bit clueless as to the exact laws and whatnot. so what i really want to know is:

- isn't lois-freedman essentially pretty much fucked now ?? as the Director or Operations, wouldn't she be the one directly responsible for all this ? wouldn't an army of knowledgeable sharkesque well-paid lawyers pretty much HAVE to recommend theEmpire distance itself from her as much as possible asap ??

-- does the Starwood contract come with some kind of an "image" clause ? wouldn't it kinda have to ??
call me crazy, but stealing from your own employees hardly constitutes a nice wholesome image, no ??

--- at what point does (or, does it ever?) "tip pilfering" become like, "embezzlement" or whatever ?? and/or like "grand larceny" maybe ?? totally confused on this one.

---- if we are talking EIGHT establishments here (not including the "pendings"), isn't this pretty much holding up a neon sign to the federal government LOOK AT ME LOOK AT ME I GOT CA$H BITCH COME AND GET IT
and uhh, if that's the case, wouldn't the IRS then come calling and crawling up your ass with a big tweezer and a mag lite ?? if so, i think that might hurt just a wee bit



and my last and final question

------- given the fact i have an actual pay stub that blatantly exhibits my salary decrease PLUS TIPS EARNED effective the week following my official PROMOTION from hostess to maitre d' at 66 (which is all documented as well, natch)
wouldn't that be
a> rather incriminating (??) and thus
b> totally fucking retarded ???



anyone ? anyone ? bueller ?

this article has been split from the original...

a. One would think so.

b. We are talking about Lois Freedman here.

It seems to me Jean-George is fucked on this one. He will have to settle this, because there is no way they can allow this to go to trial in front of a judge and jury, where they'll get hanged, for sure.

Eight restaurants?

It sounds like this is going to be a pretty big settlement.

I don't feel sorry for them at all!!! Even though JG is a nice guy, the buck has to stop somewhere!!!! He knew that Lois was fucking everything up and he didn't care, even though they lost alot of really good employees who quit because Lois was such a bitch. I know for a fact that a few people complained to JG and even sent letters, but nothing was ever done about her!!! OMG, all you have to do is read Abbe's book (Oh wait, am I being too ass-kissy now??? )

to see how much she screwed everything up. I've never said this about anyone before, but I hope she does finally get fired like she deserves, and if all of JG's businesses suffer now, then that's just too fuckin' bad because they all deserve it for letting go so far!!!

I'm pretty sure they can't use the "Floor Managers are Part of the Service Team" argument on this one. I could be wrong, but I would think Maitre D's are definitely not considered Floor staff, and therefore, work for the House.

Why would you? They constantly showed all their employees (except for the ones that kissed Lois's ass) how much the staff just didn't matter.

I'm not the type of person who wishes ill on other people, either. So, I'll just say I hope they finally get what they truly deserve.

Well, it's not going to help matters that it's such a widely reviled company. In the end, it will probably all boil down to how 'down and dirty' the staffers (and lawyers) want to get. If they decide that they want JG to suffer, he probably will.

Has anyone else noticed how any hint of this story is conspicuously absent from The Post? Jean Georges must have Page Six Protection.

Apparently you are. Don't ever bring up Abbe's book again without a footnote specifying that there is a possibility it is not one of the decade's defining touchstones. Otherwise people might get offended that you liked it.

This is what happens when you play the loopholes

I am sure their defense will include being within the law

Managers don't have hire and fire capabilities
Floor managers will be listed as captains etc
Service teams working on a shift pay basis

I think it's time to round up all the usual suspects





I love this town

This might work for floor managers, because they can be listed as part of the service team, but how would a Maitre D' (Abbe, e.g.) fall in with this? A Maitre D' works at the door, and does not take orders, bus tables or run food, etc.

It's one thing to have the staff of one place try to sue, but all of them? Will even someone like Jean Georges be able to just sweep this under the carpet?

Then again, maybe he will.

I noticed that Grub Street mentioned the story, though. But maybe they're waiting for Jay McInerney to finish his next sycophantic 5-page Jean Georges article, which, of course, will just happen to be timed to coincide with any negative press.

When the staff from Mercer filed the same suit, didn't the company have to pay them???

Is this Lois?

http://i210.photobucket.com/albums/bb261/P...Foodie/Lois.jpg



EDITED BY abbe:

aack !! i had to take out the img tags-- sorry !! i just cannot be looking at that every day. NEXT TIME TRY WARNING ME PLEASE i think i felt my heart palpitate

U say negative press?


http://www.newsday.com/news/opinion/ny-nys...,4524268.column

i could be wrong, but yes i thought i heard something about them settling a class action at MercerKitchen.

if the waitress from V had her suit approved, then i am pretty sure this one will be approved too, no ? in which case, yes, i think this could get pretty ugly for jean-georges, army of lawyers or not. correct me if i'm wrong, but if jean-georges does NOT settle, it could go all the way to court. if it goes before the court -- wooo HOOOOO BOY

i mean really. think about it
if i was a plaintiff and alls i had to do is sit back and watch the company i DETEST and ABHOR squirm all day long -- i'm thinking the settlement had better make me really happy. otherwise i'd certainly be thinking to myself:

SQUIRM BITCH. SQUIRM

eehee heee ohmygoodness listen to me. i'm CRAZY.

do i have a "mental anguish" suit in here somewheres ? what's the statute of limitations on this mutherfukker ?

ahhahahhhahhahhhahahaaa

Abbe - you expressed my sentiments exactly about Lois hopefully being held accountable for this mess as she was the one managing the staff. Though I do feel sorta bad for JG - he was always gracious towards me and I have no complaints about the way I was treated by him personally. Lois is a whole different story. When I was there, she pulled some arbitrarily discriminatory shit with me that I could have sued over - but I didn't want to expend the time or energy to do so. I never even sent him a letter about her, but thinking back, I wish I did.

Here you go Abbe................One for your collection

Her weight in duck fat!!!!!!!!!




http://www.nytimes.com/slideshow/2005/11/0...LIDESHOW_2.html

U kill me!!!

I guess that picture is Lois Friedman...now it's her turn to have heart palpitations.

Why should Jean-Georges Vongerichten get all the attention?!!! That's not fair....LOL

http://newyork.craigslist.org/mnh/fbh/386397892.html

Jean-Georges Restaurant Seeks a Floor Manager! (Midtown West)
Reply to: cclarke@jean-georges.com
Date: 2007-07-31, 7:22PM EDT


World Renowned, 4 Star Chef, Jean-Georges Vongerichten, seeks talented, experienced, passionate floor managers for Jean-Georges Restaurant. The perfect candidate will have a strong background in the restaurant industry and strong service skills. Candidates must possess 2-3 years restaurant experience in a floor maitre'd capacity or floor manager position with a passion for hospitality.

General Summary:
The Floor Manager carries the responsibility for overall organization of the dining room, insuring the standards of service are being met by all Front of the House staff. Being able to assist, and in some cases, substitute for all levels of the FOH hierarchy, this position is responsible for assisting guests throughout their experience within Jean Georges’ Restaurants. The Floor Manager is responsible for providing the highest quality of customer service.

Requirements:
• Proficient in all aspects of fine dining service
• Knowledge of food and beverage as well as a passion to cultivate this skill
• Minimal experience with cost control systems to include food, beverage and labor percentages
• Effective style of management promoting a team atmosphere
• Ability to inspire staff to achieve their potential
• Basic understanding of food handling and sanitation requirements of the New York State Department of Health
• May be required to lift up to 30 lbs. occasionally
• Possess a proven track record for guest satisfaction

Education and Experience:

• High School diploma, College degree preferred
• Three years prior front of the house experience in a high volume establishment
• Previous supervisory experience in a New York City fine dining establishment preferred
• Experience in various capacities of restaurant staff (ie: waiter, host, bartender, runner, etc.) strongly preferred
• Participation in wine/beverage related program within the past five years

Our Management Team receives excellent benefits including:
• Competitive wages
• Paid Vacations
• Health insurance
• Vision insurance
• Voluntary Dental insurance
• Weekly paychecks
• Discounted meals while not working at Jean-Georges Restaurant Group the opportunities for advancement are excellent! You will be encouraged to develop the skills and knowledge necessary for success.

Please fax or email resume with salary history to:
Attn: Cleo Clarke, Corporate Human Resources Director, 212-358-0685 or e-mail cclarke@jean-georges.com.
Jean-Georges is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

* Compensation: TBD

I thought JG's brother was the manager there?

Phillipe (his brother) is the GM

This ad is for a floor mgr.............I mean captain..........i mean service team member..........oh whatever

look don't get me wrong, i really like jean-georges too. i think we all do

but the simple fact of the matter is he DID condone her behavior. and sorrrrrry but that's just PUSSY

i mean really now. if you have two parents and mom beats the shit out of you and dad sits back and watches and just lets it happen

do you then say "wow dad is such a great guy. he's never been mean to me" ??

i don't think so.





[it's not like he was never warned. there's a fucking BOOK about it all, for fuck's sake]

i already have it, thanks

i had to keep it-- to prove that Lois is a "celebrity"

libel laws, you see

ha ha ha ha ha ha ha hahahahahahahaa

TO BE DETERMINED is fucking right

Jeez. Does the ad-placer not know it's Jean Georges restaurant, without the hyphen?

I believe the statute is 3 years....(not for sure)

Didn't you turn down the opening Maitre D' position at Matsuri? Was it due to the trauma you experienced at your last position, which, therefore, affected your livelihood?

Sounds like a pretty good case to me.

Why would he be all pussy about this after having to shell out 186K (Mercer) in a settlement last year? This woman must have something on JG. No one in their right mind would put at risk a business that he worked/works so hard to build. It don't make any sense. JG isn't seeing any of this money...the managers are. (Lois included?)

Shit if he IS getting any of this tip money...that's jail time.

Time for him to ditch the bitch!

More Lawsuit UPDATES.................Let no stone be unturned...........NOW ITS DREW!!!


http://www.reuters.com/article/peopleNews/...FTOKEN=29103591

Everyone is always wondering the same thing, what does she have on him??? There have been a lot of rumors that I've heard over the years. They were together for 8 years but that JG always cheated on her???? She helped him with his green card???? They are legally married with no prenup??? She skims cash for him???? He does not want to be the tough guy???? There are sp many stories but no one ever knows for sure what;s going on because it doesn't make sense that even is all this is true, why would JG keep risking losing all his businesses like 66 and V which happened right after she became the DO. Even Spice is only doing well because of the location, they lost all the chefs and the floor staff turn over is high, and even Gray Kunz left right away.

jean-georges is a Pisces you know

i'm just sayin.

NO dis respect to BX...good rumours....but this one explains alot with very little...too layed back (or laid back) or both?

as somebody whom, for some reason, is constantly surrounded by fucking Pisceseses (Piscii ?? -- moms, best friend, former boss, ex-fiancee, etc etc etc)

i can totally say for sure:

"laid back" is a REALLY NICE EUPHEMISM.

piscoose?????????????

classic dominatrix/submissive relationship??????????????

JG is with Marja Allen (PX this reference) her mother is with the government in some capacity. The President nominated her mom for something...and Marja was listed in the paper as Marja Vongerichten. So this I believe is legal.

V Steakhouse..just sucked..period. Creatively, decor- oh just everything. Porterhouse is paying half the rent V paid. So they were getting screwed as well.
I guess you can call this the culinary version of 69. Both screwing each other(ha ha).

Well the truth has to pop up one day.

Maybe it's "D) All of the above."

If PX ever becomes series on TV, this can be the mystery that needs to be solved. Like Lost.

Or a movie...like The Devil Wears Prada...which seems very familiar but legally has no relation to..............

yes
nobody has even touched on the OBVIOUS

jean-georges is a refugee alien from another planet and lois-freedman has come to Earth to recapture him and take him back because they need his special touch of french/asian fusion to survive. she stays here to hold him captive and torture all the hateful earthlings who surround him while their spaceship is being refueled and prepped for the long journey home to their bizarre upside-down alternate universe.

Sounds like a 3 picture trilogy deal

Count me in for a million

ha ha haa yah we can even include last night's real-life "ripped from reality" scene in the screenplay !!

see, the wrap-king and i decided to have a late dinner at BlueRibbon

and as we were walking down sullivan, i spotted jean-georges's fancy posheroo mercedes jeep thingie parked in the street in front of Mezzogiorno, which made me look over and realize jean-georges was there, dining at a sidewalk table with his lovely wife

and so (of course) i totally pretended not to see him.

but then just as we were entering BlueRibbon, wrap-king abruptly paused right in the doorway to stop and admire(?? pay homage?? -the fuck?) the fancy posheroo mercedes jeep thingie in the street-- which just happens to be the exact same automobile the wrap-king drives (it's the same fucking color and everything)

and so, mere feet from jean-georges, i banged my face smack into wrap-king's backside, just as i was trying to play it cool.

as soon as we walked inside and sat down at the bar, i annoyingly inquired as to WHY wrap-king had to stop so suddenly in the doorway (making me look like a total dipshit), i was all: "what the hells ? you and jean-georges making googlie eyes at each other or sumpn?"
wrap-king responded by explaining it was the CAR that had him so enraptured, he didn't even see jean-georges sitting RIGHT THERE in front of his face.









two things:

- i had dinner at Mezzogiorno kinda recently (this past memorial day, actually) and it was NOT GOOD at all, so i don't know what the fuck jean-georges was doing dining there. but whatever.

- i'm a little irritated too, that wrap-king was so preoccupied staring at the stupid car, he forgot to open the restaurant's door for me.
i cannot be having peoples all around town thinking that i am perfectly capable of holding the door for myself (when i'm accompanied by a gentleman) because i am SO fucking NOT.
oh but then again, seeing as i was right behind him up his ass, i guess if he had stepped aside as he was pulling the door open, he might have accidentally bashed me in the face with it.



what was my point again ?
i have no idea

That if Jean-George's wife reads this, you can explain to her how your Mercedes owner is (usually, when he's not 'preoccupied') just as good as her Mercedes owner? And, why it is you looked so stupid last night, smashing your face into his backside?