Gordon Ramsay Kitchen Nightmares: Chef Faces Class-Action Lawsuit
Gordon Ramsay has allegedly been hit with a class-action lawsuit from employees--past and present--of his new restaurant Fat Cow in Los Angeles, RadarOnline.com reported Friday.
The staff members claimed Ramsey owes them paychecks for overtime and that they were not allowed to take home tips they earned. The claim also states that the celebrity chef failed to pay his employees minimum wage for the hours they worked and meal breaks.
In documents obtained by the site, Jennifer Becerra, Montinique Dever, Andrea Bourke and Lauren Benge are suing Ramsey on behalf of themselves and all hourly, non-exempt current and former employees. Los Angeles Supreme Court documents indicate the following claims:
"During the Class Period, Defendants have:
(1) required Class Members to work through their meal and rest periods without paying compensation for missed meal and rest breaks
(2) failed to pay Class Members minimum wages for all hours worked
(3) failed to pay Class Members premium compensation for all overtime hours worked
(4) failed to pay Class Members all wages due at termination and/or resignation
(5) failed to maintain and provide Class Members with proper documentation concerning their hours worked and their compensation
(6) committed unfair business practices in an effort to increase profits and to gain an unfair business advantages at the expense of the Class Members and the public."
The Fat Cow restaurant is owned by Ramsey and it is located in Los Angeles' Grove outdoor shopping center.
Most of the plaintiffs worked as servers or baristas between Oct. 2012 and March 2013 and they asked for a jury trial and to be rewarded for economic damages.
Ramsay became popular in the U.S. after his shows, Hell's Kitchen and Kitchen Nightmares were syndicated to U.S. TV network Fox. He is the host of Hell's Kitchen, MasterChef and Kitchen Nightmares and he reportedly earns an estimated $15 million per year for the job.
The Scottish-born chef is the owner of 27 restaurants and holds 11 Michelin stars.
