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Scandal in the star restaurant: Ex-employees unpack!
Former employees of the star restaurant Konstantin Filippou have made serious allegations about working conditions and the quality of ingredients.
Scandal in the star restaurant: Ex-employees unpack!
There are serious allegations in Konstantin Filippou's star restaurant in Vienna. Former employees accuse the respected top chef of actually replacing products labeled as luxury foods with inferior alternatives. The “label fraud” is considered particularly serious: instead of expensive Norwegian scallops, they are said to have been cheap specimens from Japan, like this Vienna newspaper reported. According to the former employees' statements, there was also talk of inferior goods such as Gillardeau oysters and frozen langostinos. The invoices show that Filippou failed to properly account for the products actually delivered.
The allegations not only relate to the quality of the ingredients, but also to the working conditions in the restaurant. Former employees report extreme working hours, with 18-hour days and unpaid overtime being the norm. This was also done by the LEADERSNET picked up. There are also reports of a rough tone that caused psychological stress and a secret basement room in which unauthorized kitchen work took place.
Filippou's reaction to the accusations
Konstantin Filippou himself has responded to the allegations and has already removed the scallops in question from his menu. Although he vehemently denies the serious allegations of label fraud, he admits that there may have been misunderstandings in the past. According to Filippou, there is no “system of conscious deception” and he admits to temporarily using alternative high-quality products when the sought-after ingredients are not available. His wife Manuela adds that they are aware of their responsibility and have not informed the employees about the use of alternative ingredients, for which they apologize.
Although Filippou rejects the allegations regarding long working hours and claims to have introduced a four-day week with corresponding working hours, criticism from former employees remains. They report a completely different reality, characterized by overwork and a toxic working environment. “The pressure in top-class restaurants is enormous,” admits a former employee. “The vast majority of employees suffer from the conditions.” The situation casts a shadow on the glamorous appearance that the star restaurant projects to the outside world.