Todd English accused of sexual harassment by waitress

Celebrity chef Todd English has been accused of sexual harassment by a waitress at his Plaza Hotel. She joins six other English employees who filed a lawsuit in August alleging repeated instances of sexual harassment at the Todd English Food Hall in the Plaza Hotel in New York.

According to the New York Post, server Gabrielle Eubank recently filed a court complaint in which she alleged English and other staff members sexually harassed her while she was an employee there.

Eubank’s complaint alleges that English approached her while she was working at a party and began hugging her and kissing her on the cheeks repeatedly.

“Mr. English then began flagrantly propositioning Ms. Eubank on the floor, saying she was ‘sexy’ and that he’s ‘surprised you’re still single,’ the court papers say. “Mr. English then attempted to kiss Ms. Eubank on the lips, forcing her to turn away at the last moment.”

Her complaint was added to a complaint filed against the Plaza Hotel in August by six other female employees, who complained of an institutional culture of sexual harassment at the Todd English Food Hall.

“This institutional culture of sexual harassment, which starts at the very top, is ignored and tolerated by human resources and hotel management-the very people charged with ensuring the wellbeing of hotel employees,” the complaint reads.

The complaint was filed against the Plaza Hotel, but English was not reportedly named as a defendant.

Todd English has been the subject of negative headlines before, including for jilting his fiancé at the altar and being arrested for a DWI.

Just last month chef John Besh stepped down from his restaurant group after a the New Orleans Times-Picayune released an eight-month investigative report, in which 25 current and former employees described allegations of sexual misconduct. In September, chef Alon Shaya ended his partnership with Besh at BRG restaurants, and he is reportedly now saying he was fired for assisting a reporter with the harassment investigation. Shaya and BRG are going to court over the rights to the name of their successful restaurant, “Shaya,” and the scandal has escalated to level of the 10 most famous chef feuds.