Chef’s Outburst at New Café Sparks Controversy

A well-known chef in San Francisco found himself in hot water after an exchange with an influencer went viral. This occurred at Kiss Café in Hayes Valley, where he was seen wearing an apron during the incident, seemingly brushing off TikTok personalities.

The influencer, known as @itskarlabb, recounted on TikTok how she had coordinated with the café team beforehand for a collaboration. She arrived early to film content, capturing the moment in a video she later shared.

Things got tense when Carla, the influencer in question, began discussing her follower count of 15,000. She mentioned that it may have been a “mistake” for the café to invite influencers with smaller audiences.

“I could hear them talking about me, mentioning TikTok and followers,” she noted in a subsequent video.

During their interaction, Chef Luke Song reportedly asked Carla if she was familiar with the restaurant. When she confirmed her knowledge of the menu and the ambiance, he disagreed, choosing instead to scroll through her TikTok feed loudly.

After a couple of minutes of scrolling, he reportedly suggested that her videos didn’t quite meet the standard he wanted for his restaurant, implying her audience might not be able to dine at his establishment.

The influencer recounted that Song challenged her credibility by highlighting his own accolades, mentioning he was a two-time James Beard Award finalist and referring to his daughter, a prominent TikTok figure with a much larger following.

Carla felt disrespected by the exchange, stating she no longer wanted to collaborate after being dismissed. Her followers, however, surged to over 350,000 following the incident.

She expressed her desire to advocate for micro-influencers, stating, “You don’t need a million followers to be respected.”

In the fallout, Kiss Café’s Yelp ratings plummeted dramatically from four to two stars, with some reviews criticizing the chef’s behavior. Shortly after, it was announced that Song had stepped down as co-owner and chef. The café clarified that he did not resign under pressure but aimed to honor his agreement.

“Our chef’s actions were unacceptable, and he’s no longer part of the team,” Kiss Café stated in an Instagram post.

As a result of the controversy, the restaurant has temporarily closed for renovations, emphasizing a commitment to fostering a welcoming and respectful environment for all.