Top chef Barbara Lynch has been accused of sexually touching her staff when drunk and bullying them – firing an employee on the spot and threatening to put his head through a window.
Lynch, 59, is renowned as one of the most acclaimed chefs in Boston and across the US, as well as talking up her fight against sexism to reach the top of her profession.
But now staff members across her seven restaurants have turned against her, accusing her of being a drunk who abused her power to sexually touch them and go on aggressive rants, according to the New York Times.
She called a meeting at her luxury restaurant Menton on March 15, to discuss the death of her head chef Rye Crofter who had died of a fentanyl overdose.
A mentee of Crofter had died in the same way, with Lynch reportedly telling her staff, ‘talk to me, tell me what’s going on. Be honest.’
Lynch, 59, is renowned as one of the most acclaimed chefs in Boston and across the US, as well as talking up her fight against sexism to reach the top of her profession
But now staff members across her seven restaurants have turned against her, accusing her of being a ‘drunk’ who abused her power to ‘sexually’ touch them
According to the New York Times she then exploded in an ‘expletive-laced confrontation’, with one employee recording the confrontation. Lynch has denied all allegations against her.
Tim Dearing, who replaced Crofter as head chef, challenged Lynch for reportedly failing to visit the kitchen after the death and was fired on the spot.
He told the New York Times that he threatened to ‘drag her’ before she said she would ‘push his head through a window’.
Lynch then ranted: ‘I’m not going to stand for it. I don’t want negativity in my life’ before telling them to show up the next day to learn if they would also be fired. They resigned within days.
When Crofter died in January, Lynch had just named him as executive chef of all her seven restaurants – with many cooks saying they were there to learn from him.
She said: ‘It was a personal tragedy for me. It is difficult to put that type of loss into words, and finding the strength to comfort the team in the aftermath of those losses was incredibly difficult.
‘I’m human, and looking back, I wish I had the capacity to have handled it better as a leader and as a friend.’
She called a meeting at her luxury restaurant Menton on March 15, to discuss the death of her head chef Rye Crofter (pictured) who had died of a fentanyl overdose
Another former Drink employee claims that after she was hired in 2015, Lynch came up behind her and caressed her lower back and squeezed her bottom – telling her that they would ‘make a good couple’. Pictured: Lynch’s luxury No 9 restaurant in Boston
Lynch married Charlie Petri in 1997, and the two share a daughter together but have now separated
Twenty of her former employees claim that she ‘drinks heavily’ and has subjected employees to unwanted propositions and touching.
However they say because Lynch is a majority owner of her restaurants, they felt unable to take their complaints higher.
Sara Hatanaka, a manager of B&G Oysters and the Butcher Shop from 2020 to 2022, told the New York Times: ‘She has always been protected from the consequences of her actions. At some point, everyone has to be held accountable.’
She added that she was unable to discipline certain workers if they were on of Lynch’s favourites.
Michaela Horan was hired as the manager of the Butcher Shop in August 2018, but claims that she was surprised to find that Lynch did little cooking and a lot of drinking.
She told the Times that Lynch would drink and spontaneously take charge of the kitchen, sending out barely cooked chicken and threatening staff members with knives.
Horan claims that in June 2021 Lynch stormed up to her, prodder her in the shoulder and dragged her out from behind the bar.
Tim Dearing,(right) who replaced Crofter as head chef, challenged Lynch for reportedly failing to visit the kitchen after the death and was fired on the spot
Twenty of her former employees claim that she ‘drinks heavily’ and has subjected employees to unwanted propositions and touching. Pictured: The Butcher Shop
Speaking to the Times, she said that she resigned on the spot, adding: ‘No one had ever put their hands on me before. Once was enough.’
Head bartender of her luxury cocktail bar Drink, Oscar Simoza was hired in June 2021 to reopen after the pandemic.
But he claims that he felt uncomfortable when Lynch drank at the bar, pushed her way behind it and touched employees in their ‘groins or bottoms’ to squeeze into a narrow space.
He said to the Times: ‘I’m a 6-foot-5 guy, and I can take care of myself. But we were all so vulnerable.’
However Lynch has denied the allegations, telling the Times in a statement: ‘I expressly reject the various false accusations lodged against me that I have behaved inappropriately with employees or crossed professional guideposts that are important to me.
‘I cannot put out all the fires that flare in this high-stress environment and my very modest roots allow me to recognize that I’m far from being above reproach.
‘I make personnel decisions that may rankle those who don’t measure up or don’t want to commit to true teamwork and service; perhaps some I should have removed sooner.
Michael Dudas, the group’s director of operations from 2021 until last month, claimed that staff were also forced to drive Lynch home after drinking too much
Michaela Horan was hired as the manager of the Butcher Shop in August 2018, but claims that she was surprised to find that Lynch did little cooking and a lot of drinking
‘I acknowledge that I am a creature of the alcohol-steeped hospitality and restaurant industry, and I am committed to taking responsibility and working on myself.’
Another former Drink employee claims that after she was hired in 2015, Lynch came up behind her and caressed her lower back and squeezed her bottom – telling her that they would ‘make a good couple’.
Lynch married Charlie Petri in 1997, and the two share a daughter together but have now separated.
Michael Dudas, the group’s director of operations from 2021 until last month, claimed that staff were also forced to drive Lynch home after drinking too much.
In 2017 she was charged with drunk driving and agreed to give up her license for 60 days and complete an alcohol education program while on probation.
However staff claim during her probation she would still come into the restaurants to drink in front of customers, according to the Times.
Two former members of staff filed a class action lawsuit against the restaurant group on March 2, claiming that tip money had been diverted from their paychecks following the pandemic.
Following the pandemic Lynch had dismissed nearly all of her former team, with Dudas claiming many of them had tried to persuade her to get help for her drinking problem
Employees said because Lynch is a majority owner of her restaurants, they felt unable to take their complaints higher
The company has disputed the claims, with Lynch adding that she ‘fed employees to help them through that time when all restaurants were closed.’
She added: ‘I have provided coverage for employees suffering from trauma and other challenges and I have mentored chefs that have gone on to national and international renown.’
Pedro Fuentes, a former line cook at the Lynch restaurant Sportello, warned that staff didn’t come forward because of Lynch’s powerful connections in the area.
He told the Times: ‘If you’re from here, you already know. ‘The Lynches are to Southie what the Kennedys are to New England. American royalty.’
Following the pandemic Lynch had dismissed nearly all of her former team, with Dudas claiming many of them had tried to persuade her to get help for her drinking problem.
Servers at the Menton told the Times that Lynch had briefly returned to work in the kitchen after her cooks left.
