Michelin-starred chef leaves French luxury hotel after alleged ‘hazing’ of kitchen staff

A Michelin-starred French chef quit his job at a luxury hotel in the chic coastal resort town of Biarritz after a kitchen employee was allegedly tied up naked, with an apple in his mouth and a carrot in his anus as part of a prohibited Hazing Ritual.

Aurélien Largeau, 31, left his position at the famous restaurant at the Hotel du Palais on December 21, the hotel’s management confirmed.

A prosecutor has launched an investigation into allegations of sexual assault and violence, although the alleged victim had not filed a formal complaint.

The story about suspected hazing was first brought to light this week by local French-language newspaper Sud-Ouest, which reported that on the morning of December 2, a young kitchen helper was tied naked to a chair with housed fruits and vegetables. in his orifices.

The worker is said to have been left in this humiliating state for hours in full view of the rest of the 30-person kitchen team, chaired by Chef Largeau.

Chef Aurélien Largeau, 31, has denied any wrongdoing after leaving his job at a Michelin-starred restaurant. Aurelien Largeau’s Table

The alleged cooking rite of passage, called “bizutage” and officially banned in France, was recorded on video and then shared on social media, before being deleted, the outlet reported.

Largeau, hailed as a culinary child prodigy, has denied the hazing allegations as “false and defamatory.”

Her lawyer, Alexandra Sabbe-Ferri, told BFMTV that what really happened in the kitchen was a “prank” organized by the alleged victim herself as part of her farewell party before leaving to look for a new job in Paris.

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“Nothing was imposed on him,” the lawyer said, calling the incident a “good-humored” moment.

The Hyatt Group, which operates the prestigious hotel, confirmed to media outlets that Largeau left after “a concerning incident on the hotel premises” that a spokesperson said involved “allegations and images” that triggered an internal investigation.

Largeau had worked for three years at the Hotel du Palais in the coastal city of Biarritz, France. Universal Images Group via Getty Images It has been alleged that a young restaurant kitchen worker was tied up naked with an apple in his mouth and a carrot in his anus. AFP via Getty Images

“This incident does not reflect the values ​​we stand for. “An investigation was conducted and appropriate decisions were made,” Hyatt said in a statement. “The safety, health and well-being of our colleagues, our customers and our partners are our absolute priority.”

On Friday, the Post reached out to the Hyatt Group for further comment.

Largeau was hired in 2020 as a chef at the five-star hotel, where rooms cost an average of $445 a night, and in 2022 the restaurant under his leadership earned a coveted Michelin star.

In a statement to France Blue radio, the now-unemployed chef wrote in part: “I would like to formally deny the accusations made against me by various media outlets and affirm that the events reported do not in any way reflect reality.”

Rooms at this luxury seaside hotel cost an average of $445 per night. AFP via Getty Images

He criticized the hazing accusations as “an attack on my honor by reporting false and defamatory facts.”

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“I would never associate myself with such behavior,” Largeau added.

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Source: vtt.edu.vn

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