Salt Bae threatened to kill me because he thought I seated two women at a table of men in his restaurant, says ex-waiter
SALT Bae threatened to kill a waiter he accused of seating two women at a table of men in one of his restaurants.
The flamboyant chef - real name Nusret Gokce - was handed a fine and also made to pay compensation to Ali Ihsan Kandil.
The Turkish-born butcher has become an internet star for his trademark theatrical salt smattering and extravagant meat-carving for celebrity diners.
The menus in his restaurants feature a £1,450 gold-gilded tomahawk steak, another £630 hunk of beef and a £100 burger - among other mega-expensive items.
But his temper got the better of him when two women complained to him that they had been forced to sit at a table with two men at the Nusr-Et Steakhouse in Istanbul.
He then began ranting at Kandil, who had nothing to do with what happened,
“Did you sit the women there you pimp, are you selling women in my restaurant? I will kill you, f*** off, I am firing you,” he reportedly said to the shocked waiter.
Kandil then filed a criminal complaint with the prosecutor's office and Salt Bae was taken to court for insult, which is an offence under Turkish law.
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Istanbul 23rd Criminal Court of First Instance found in favour of the waiter and fined Salt Bae 8700 Turkish lira (£640)
The court also ordered Salt Bae pay Kandil 35,000 lira (£2600) in compensation and placed him on probation for five years.
After the 2019 case, Kandil revealed he had not been able to work in Turkey.
“I got involved in a case which had nothing to do with me. I had to go to court," he said.
“During the court process I could not find a job. In three years I had to work in Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan and Moscow.”
His run in with the waiter isn't the only time Salt Bae was hit in the pocket after conflict with staff.
Last month, Salt Bae was forced to pay ex-staff members $230,000 after being accused of conning them out of tips and firing them when they complained.
He was slapped with a lawsuit by four ex-servers at the Manhattan branch of Nusr-Et in 2019.
The men alleged that Gokce pooled tips among 'unentitled' staff and shaved 3 per cent off the total amount of tips.
His London site has been a celeb favourite, despite less than complimentary reviews and astronomical menu prices.
Diners forking out hundreds at the restaurant complained they were threatened with being kicked out in just 30 minutes as bookings are timed.
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The chef is jetting off to the Middle East to open the newest outpost of his business, with at least 13 other eateries alongside his 15 Nusr-Et Steakhouses under his belt.
Salt Bae and his representative have been approached for comment.
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