A lesbian couple out for a romantic Valentine’s Day dinner got some homophobia with their Hibachi – and one took to Facebook to put the restaurant and the chef on blast.
Ellie Parker and girlfriend Lucy were in the mood headed to Asahi Japanese Steakhouse in Lafayette, Indiana, where they got a rude awakening from a nosy, homophobic chef:
The post reads:
I’m not normally one to complain on social media, but the service I had at dinner tonight warrants a little complaining. I took my girlfriend out to Asahi, in Lafayette, for our first Valentine’s Day together. Our chef came to grill our food for us and was asking everyone if the person with them was their boyfriend or husband. He got to my girlfriend and I and asked where our valentines were.
We told him we were each other’s valentines. We were holding hands mind you. Clearly a couple. He proceeds to say “well it is legal, but it’s such a waste to not have a man.” Later he continues to insult our relationship by saying he could come home with us to “heat things up.” I am appalled that I would receive this kind of treatment. I cannot believe I paid over $50 to have my relationship insulted and sexualized.
A swell way to spend Valentine’s Day, huh? The couple was unamused, and left the following message on their receipt:
How about we take this to the next level?
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Grub Street reports that the restaurant offered them a refund, but only if they took down the Facebook post, which has gotten over 7,000 shares.
We’re assuming she didn’t take the payoff, since the post is still up. As per Yahoo, a Facebook page for the restaurant has been deactivated since the story went viral.
We hope the negative attention taught the restaurant a lesson about respecting gay relationships and generally not being homophobic idiots.
Bradley Tabor
The refund should’ve been automatic, not conditional. And the hibachi chef should have been immediately fired.
BigG
Good for the couple. Obviously the mans ego was crushed because he was single. Then seeing two women made him even more bitter.
martinbakman
I would have left. At least no tip for that loser.
Large Marge
i’m appalled they stayed after he made that comment.
Something is fishy here and it’s not just their twatwaffles.
Brian Birch
I hope the negative impact this has had on the restaurant is going to teach them a lesson. Yes they should have had their meal comped as well.
Glücklich
@martinbakman:
Really. How’d the other people at the table react?
@Large Marge:
Lol twatwaffles. Kinda mean but I’m chuckling.
1EqualityUSA
The bigger question is why they would dare consume anything made by his hands. Large Marge, your words say more about you than those you attempt to denigrate.
DCguy
@Large Marge:
Yes, just remember, that it’s them who are the victims, the fishy smelling twatwaffles. Because, you know, homophobia doesn’t even exist against women, you know, except in your post.
Jim Philbrick
I hope the restaurant has to close over this,,,
JerseyMike
I would never just sit and take some sh!t like that. Sorry, not going to happen. The date was already ruined so why stay. Glad they posted the review/complaint online.
zooby
I will never understand how a “straight person” could care so much about a gay person’s sexuality.
Creig Stearne
Sorry, they screwed the waiter/waitress. Should have told he were to stick his chop sticks and left. They are both as bad as each other for their childish act of cheapness.
joeyty
@Jim Philbrick: Of course YOU do, but you also believed that about fake claims in the past (this case is probably real though).
captainburrito
That sounds like something my dad and any number of chefs we employed would say. We kept the chefs in the kitchen however but since my parents owned the business there was not much we could do about him.
I don’t believe he should be fired but they should have give him some lessons on etiquette. Even if they were 2 straight women who had no valentines but went out as friends i suspect he might have said the same thing and it would have been equally unwelcome. Some guys automatically volunteer information that is in their heads that is inappropriate and i just wonder… why….? The restaurant should have made a big showing of them and the chef apologizing if they wanted to resolve it. Instead they bury their head in the sand.
Bill Arends
People are defending this so called chef and talking about how great the place is. I suggest they read the reviews from before the incident. The place is described as mediocre and the food as poor. The Chef’s poor attempts at humor irritated people and were often off coloured. Before the incident with this couple he once asked a girl if she would consider going to the local Motel 6 with him (while he was cooking). The place is a dump and the chef is an idiot.
JerseyMike
@captainburrito: manners and respect is something you learn in kindergarten.. His ass should be fired for being so damned ignorant.
Johnny D. Moore
He might not have known, and as a girl friend of mine who she herself in the service industry used to say “Lesbians & canoes … neither tip” I was actually told by a two women once “now that we are a couple we consider ourselves one unit so we feel we should only have to pay for one hair cut” and yes they were dead serious? and yes I laughed in their faces and said well then I think it’s time you find someone else who will accommodate you in that endeavour. While they would always suck down several glasses of wine during their services, Never hesitate to ask for a “family” discount, they never tipped me either.
Daniel-Reader
Creepy. A stranger/guy with knives wanting to come home with you is creepy no matter who you are or who you love. Glad they warned everyone.
Glücklich
@Bill Arends:
Japanese restaurant in Indiana. Not even Indianapolis. ‘Nuff said.
rand503
@Johnny D. Moore: That’s appalling. Some people will say anything to get something for free.
Richard Holaday
It’s unfortunate that so many people resort to this passive-aggressive report it on social media bs. They could have confronted the chef directly and if that didn’t work, they could have asked to speak with management. Evidently they didn’t have the guts to do either ð???
Robert Matthews
The chef gave them a hard time so they didn’t tip the waiter!?
Anonymous
In that type of restaurant, I believe the chef is the waiter. They cook your food in front of you as your sitting at a large table with a grill on it. I could be wrong, but I’ve been to several places like that.
DerekR
@Robert Matthews: Christ some of you are dense as f@ck. It was a Japanese steakhouse-meaning there is NO waiter or waitress and the tip is paid directly to the chef since it’s HE who takes the order, cooks, then serves the food, all in front of them. Get out more….
Paul Evans
Read some of the moronic comments on other news sites, as well as homophobic Facebook posts from some real cretins (search “Asahi Layfatte.” No one deserves to be treated this way, but apparently quite a few people in this world are still reveling in their ignorance.
Michael James Kelly
This is a form of sexual harassment as well, he should have been fired.
onthemark
The cardinal rule in complaining to any business is to specify what you WANT. This couple doesn’t do that. They don’t ask to be comped (they get offered a refund anyway but apparently that’s not enough). They don’t ask for an apology (they get one anyway but apparently that’s not enough). They don’t ask for the chef to be fired, maybe because they realize that’s too drastic when they didn’t bother to complain at the time, or even leave.
Social media doesn’t change the rule. Figure out what the fuck you actually want.
Mikah92
If it’s a “waste” to not have a man then the chef should consider getting one for himself.
DCguy
@Johnny D. Moore: So in other words you met one lesbian couple you didn’t like so what this guy did is ok?
I guess that is why FOX News will always show one black criminal, or one gay criminal. Because according to you, that is a reason to hate everybody in that group right?
Will Glitzern
He should have been fired just for offering to have sex with them. What kind of chef says this to customers?
JPinNC
@DerekR: Could you have said that differently? wth?
JPinNC
What I don’t get is why they stayed for the whole meal? I guarantee that if this was happening to me, they wouldn’t get to finish treating me that way.