Ken Friedman (restaurateur)
{{Short description|Restaurateur}}
Ken Friedman is a restaurateur.
Biography
Before becoming a restaurateur, Friedman worked for twenty years in the music industry including time as an executive at Arista Records.{{cite web |title=Q&A with Ken Friedman |url=http://www.restaurantgirl.com/q_a_with_ken_friedman_1.html |website=Restaurant Girl |date=3 September 2009 |access-date=29 October 2022}} He worked in A&R.
In 2016, he was named outstanding restaurateur of the year by the James Beard Foundation. His partnership with chef April Bloomfield is one of the reasons he was “one of the nation’s top restaurateurs.” Notable for The Spotted Pig, they also owned The John Dory Oyster Bar, Breslin Bar & Dining Room, salvation Taco and White Gold Butchers, Friedman was also involved with the creation of the restaurant Horses in Los Angeles, where he helped get the initial lease, despite the fact he “is not listed on the lease, the restaurant’s opening operating agreement, or the operating agreement for the LLC that now oversees the restaurant.”{{cite news |last1=Elliott |first1=Farley |title=Shunned NYC Restaurateur Ken Friedman Quietly Worked to Bring LA Hotspot Horses to Life |url=https://la.eater.com/2022/8/25/23320499/horses-los-angeles-ken-friedman-stephen-light-ownership |access-date=28 October 2022 |publisher=Eater LA |date=August 25, 2022}}
While at The Spotted Pig with Mario Batali in 2017, Friedman was accused of sexual harassment. The third floor of the restaurant was reportedly nicknamed "the rape room" among employees.{{cite news |last1=Moskin |first1=Julia |last2=Severson |first2=Kim |title=Ken Friedman, Power Restaurateur, Is Accused of Sexual Harassment |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2017/12/12/dining/ken-friedman-sexual-harassment.html |access-date=28 October 2022 |work=The New York Times |date=December 12, 2017}}
In 2020, he agreed to pay 11 former employees $240,000 and a share of profits.{{cite news |last1=Severson |first1=Kim |last2=Moskin |first2=Julia |title=Ken Friedman of the Spotted Pig Will Pay $240,000 in Sexual Harassment Case |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2020/01/07/dining/spotted-pig-ken-friedman-sexual-harassment.html |access-date=28 October 2022 |work=The New York Times |date=January 7, 2020}} After he decided to “step away” from the Spotted Pig, they closed about three weeks after the settlement.{{cite news |last1=Rosner |first1=Elizabeth |last2=Bowden |first2=Ebony |title=Ken Friedman leaving NYC's Spotted Pig amid 'rape room' claims |url=https://nypost.com/2020/01/07/ken-friedman-leaving-nycs-spotted-pig-amid-rape-room-claims/ |access-date=28 October 2022 |publisher=The New York Post |date=January 7, 2020}} He was expected to pay 20% of the profits.{{cite news |last1=Fantozzi |first1=Joanna |title=The Spotted Pig closes after founder Ken Friedman exits following $240K sexual harassment settlement |url=https://www.restaurant-hospitality.com/food-drink/spotted-pig-has-closed-after-founder-ken-friedman-left-following-240k-sexual-harassment |access-date=28 October 2022 |publisher=Restaurant Hospitality |date=January 27, 2020}}
Liz Johnson (chef/owner), partner Aghajanian and Stephen Light acknowledge his initial assistance with Horses but deny current involvement saying he “is in no way involved with Horses as an owner, partner, or previous investor.”. Friedman claims to be a profit sharing owner and silent partner.{{cite news |last1=Latham |first1=Tori |title=Did This Disgraced Restaurateur Secretly Help LA's Hottest Restaurant Get Off the Ground? |url=https://robbreport.com/food-drink/dining/ken-friedman-horses-1234743480/ |access-date=29 October 2022 |publisher=Robb Report |date=August 26, 2022}}
Bloomfield and Friedman also owned restaurants in California such as Hearth & Hound in LA and Tosca in San Francisco.{{cite news |last1=Fort |first1=Ellen |title=Tosca Cafe Owner Ken Friedman Is Out Amid Sexual Harassment Allegations |url=https://sf.eater.com/2018/6/6/17435456/tosca-cafe-april-bloomfield-ken-friedman-split |access-date=29 October 2022 |publisher=Eater San Francisco |date=June 6, 2018}} The Tosca chef and business manager tried to buy Tosca after the allegations were made against Friedman. The purchase fell through and the pair left in the spring of 2018.{{cite news |last1=Crowley |first1=Chris |title=After Ken Friedman Abuse Allegations, April Bloomfield's SF Restaurant Will Lose Its Chef and Manager |url=https://www.grubstreet.com/2018/05/tosca-cafe-losing-chef-and-business-manager-ken-friedman-allegations.html |access-date=29 October 2022 |publisher=Grub Street |date=May 23, 2018}}
References
External links
- [https://www.eater.com/2017/3/20/14961840/interview-ken-friedman-upsell Ken Friedman Knows How to Build a Buzzy Restaurant]
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Category:American restaurateurs