The Palm, East Hampton's iconic steakhouse frequented by celebrities such as Jon Bon Jovi, Jerry Seinfeld and Gwyneth Paltrow, made a surprise announcement on New Year's Day, saying it would lay off most of its employees. , an investigation by Side Dish revealed that the stunned employees were brought to tears.
More than 30 employees heard the bad news at a hastily arranged meeting — a day after the restaurant was packed for New Year's Eve, attorney Edmond Chakmakian told Side Dish.
“They obviously knew they were going to close on Christmas. They could have given people 10 days' notice, but people would have faced an exodus. So they… used it for the holidays and threw it aside. Not cool,'' said Chakmakian, who was contacted by upset workers about possible legal action.
The 39 employees were called to the restaurant on New Year's Day, and Scott, executive vice president and chief operating officer of The Palm, which is part of Texas billionaire Tilman Fertitta's Landry's restaurant group, was called to the restaurant on New Year's Day. He was handed a letter signed by Mr. Crane.
“As you are aware, starting today, The Palm at Hunting Inn location will be operating a restaurant with a reduced menu and schedule, and construction work will be carried out on the kitchen,” the letter, obtained by Side Dish, reads. We can begin.”
“While we wanted to operate as usual during the renovation, we determined that doing so would delay construction and potentially extend it into the busy season. We believe this partial closure is the best decision to allow us to return.”
The restaurant, which has been in the landmark Hunting Inn since 1980, is planning a major $5 million renovation and the steakhouse will be closed until March 15, a company spokesperson said. A representative told Sidedish.
At the New Year's Day meeting, staff were advised to apply for unemployment insurance and returning staff were informed that they were eligible for a $500 bonus.
“People were crying at the rally. They have mortgages, they have kids. What are they supposed to do? It's the middle of winter. East Hampton isn't necessarily jumping up and down. No. After the January holidays, it's like a ghost town,” Chakmakian said.
The Palm plans to reopen its bar this weekend with a limited menu, according to a Palm representative.
The spokesperson added that the basic staff of about 10 lucky employees will remain with their managers.
A Palm spokeswoman said employees returning in March will receive the hourly wages they would have earned in January and February.
“We're doing our best. That's all I really know right now,” said The Palm general manager Chris Gilman, who declined to comment further.
By all appearances, the Hunting Inn at 94 Main Street is in serious need of repair. The history of the building dates back to his year 1699.
This 30-room hotel was originally built as a residence for Reverend Nathaniel Hunting and his family.
Palm Restaurant Group acquired it in 1980. However, by 2020, the upscale steakhouse chain was in bankruptcy due to a dispute between the original owners' families.
Fertitta, CEO of Landry's Co., which also owns Del Frisco's, Morton's and Mastro's, announced that he owned Palm, which was in bankruptcy, in March 2020, just days before the pandemic shut down much of the country. It bought the chain for about $45 million.
The Palms Beverly Hills outpost, founded in 1926 by an Italian-American family in New York where stars went to “see and be seen” by Hollywood power brokers, closed for good in October. it was done.
said Bruce Bozzi, the fourth generation of The Palm's founding family, known for his entertaining podcast “Table for Two” and his marriage to CAA star agent Brian Lard. hollywood reporter Landry's “didn't understand the culture of The Palm, that the recipes they were modifying date back long before they were alive, and that, like onion rings, they made the portions they were making smaller. There was a reason why things were done the way they were, a feeling of generosity.”
Tim Whitlock, chief operating officer of The Palm Restaurant, told the publication that he never changed the recipe or the quantities.
“The economy, COVID-19 and competition have affected The Palm Beverly Hills. No other Palm restaurant has closed since we rescued the iconic brand in 2020,” he told THR. .
we listen…Americans are known for creating classic takes on Italian “red sauce” joints that differ from the originals overseas, but now Italians are putting their own spin on the American burger and exporting it. doing.
Cantiere Hambilleria, an Italian burger joint with locations in Lecce and Milan, now has a branch in Soho. Hambiereria is a combination of the words “hamburgerria” and “billeria,” and this chill spot serving burgers and beer is a fun spot to meet up with friends. (We visited on a night when a group of motorcycle enthusiasts gathered for burgers and beer.)
Think freshly baked bread, more than 20 types of burgers, betoniella (homemade Altamura bread bowls stuffed with cheese fondue), and Apiutl, a typical Apulian flavorful fried dough.
