Eatzi’s Market & Bakery

Dallas Restaurateur Phil Romano Resolves Sexual Harassment Case Out of Court | Eater Dallas

"An assistant manager, Ichel Cook, filed a 2016 sexual-harassment lawsuit alleging that restaurateur Phil Romano inappropriately grabbed her buttocks during a manager’s meeting—an incident she says was caught on the restaurant’s security cameras—and later told her, “I thought you were just one of the guys.” Cook sought a minimum of $1 million and claimed she was retaliated against after reporting the incident to human resources. The lawsuit has since been resolved, though settlement details are scarce and it’s unclear whether she received financial compensation. The employer maintains that Cook was not subjected to adverse employment actions and that all employment decisions were made in good faith; Romano declined to discuss the settlement but said, “I didn’t get extorted. There was no extortion, so I’m happy about that,” and added that Cook is welcome to return if she wishes." - Adele Chapin