Michelin-starred celebrity chef Aurélien Largeau, of La Table d’Aurélien Largeau at Hyatt’s Hôtel du Palais Biarritz in southwest France, has been fired after video spread online of hazing in his kitchen. A junior member of the kitchen staff (commis) was “tied to a chair naked for hours with an apple in his mouth and a carrot in his anus with all the chefs – known as the kitchen brigade – looking on, including Largeau.”

The employee, who said he asked for this when questioned because it was part of his initiation, had just been hired on December 2. He likely staged (unpaid internship) for some time before that.

The incident went too far for one employee, who spoke up and was “thrown out of the kitchen.” But video leaked and hotel management initially tried to cover it up, ordering that employees “delete them” and then instructing the hotel’s IT team to erase “all online traces of the incident.”

Chef Aurélien Largeau, whose signature dish is blue lobster grilled with pine needles, responds: who are you going to believe, me or your lying eyes?

In a statement to the French news TV channel BFMTV on Thursday, Mr Largeau denounced what he called “defamatory and false comments” and called the allegations a “monstrous attack” on his “honour” and his “formidable teams”.

Hôtel du Palais à Biarritz : Le chef étoilé, Aurélien Largeau poussé dehors après des photos d'un apprenti attaché nu en cuisine, avec "une pomme dans la bouche et une carotte dans les fesses" #hoteldupalais #biarritz #chefcuisinier #AurélienLargeau https://t.co/0CEa7tQ0Ir

— Jean Marc Morandini (@morandiniblog) December 28, 2023

Hoy primera vez en “La Rotonde. La Table de Aurelien Largeau” en Biarritz. Experiencia recomendable. El q se acerque por aquí q haga por ir. Hemos tomado menú largo sólo con productos de mar : mezclas de texturas y sabores originales y de buen paladar . Y producto bien tratado. pic.twitter.com/TvoLdvY1OT

— Javier (@j13vas) December 8, 2022

Foie gras de canard des Landes, chutney abricot au romarin ; Tartare de bœuf au couteau, condiments ; Gâteau chocolat praliné / Hôtel du Palais, Chef des cuisines Aurélien Largeau et Chef pâtissier Aleksandre Oliver #Biarritz pic.twitter.com/iUGOcOmQ4n

— Foodie Memories (@FoodieMemories) October 10, 2023

The Hôtel du Palais dates to Napolean III who built it in 1854 as a summer home for his wife. It has hosted Queen Victoria, King Edward VII, Ernest Hemingway and Frank Sinatra. Located on the Côte Basque, next to Atlantic beach, it is categorized in France as a Palace (above five star, similar to Park Hyatt Vendome).

According to the property,

This incident does not reflect the values that we all defend, an investigation was carried out and the appropriate decisions were taken.

My wife cooked in the kitchens of several top restaurants two decades ago, under European celebrity chefs but in the United States. She was often the only woman (outside of the most junior roles and pastry). While nothing like this occurred, they were very sexist environments, very militant places, and the culture I think would surprise a lot of diners.

When she worked at what was then the top restaurant in DC, it was located inside of a top chain hotel, and since it was the only restaurant that was part of that chain which drew room nights to its property the chef was… exempted from much of the HR scrutiny that existed elsewhere.

Here we have a traditional European Michelin-starred chef, with a kitchen culture that is no longer officially acceptable in France, and working at a hotel that is part of a large Western brand. The culture he’s created is acceptable until it garners attention at which point it’s no longer tenable.

(HT: Live and Let’s Fly)