Jo's Modern Thai

Here’s What We Know About the Staff Layoffs and Temporary Closure of Jo’s Modern Thai in Oakland | Eater SF

"On paper this restaurant was a model of Oakland’s dining scene: over three-and-a-half years it built an admirable reputation, earning a Michelin Bib Gourmand, being identified as one of the Bay Area’s top Thai restaurants, and seeing its head chef, Intu-on Kornnawong, named a semifinalist for the James Beard Award for Best Chef: California in 2023. The operation unraveled quickly in October: on Wednesday, October 16 front-of-house staff say they were abruptly notified via their scheduling app that the restaurant’s last day of service would be Sunday, October 27; three days later employees alleged in an open letter that “staffing levels were rarely met,” and a dinner service was forced to shut down midway on Saturday, October 19. The chef publicly announced her departure (the announcement came October 29 and was said to be effective October 20), and at least four back-of-house staff members from each restaurant quit that same day; within 48 hours an Instagram post cited “unforeseen circumstances” requiring a temporary closure that was later extended to at least Sunday, November 10 due to staffing. Owner Kao Saelee told reporters, “We closed [the restaurant] in order to upgrade various aspects of the restaurant that we felt needed to be adjusted to help us ensure we deliver the high standard of service our customers expect from us,” and has denied allegations of mistreatment; he also acknowledged, “I care deeply for my team and have always tried to go above and beyond to make Jo’s a place where our employees feel valued,” and added, “I wish I would have communicated more frequently and had more open conversations with the staff.” By contrast, an anonymous 2,000-word blog post published by 14 front- and back-of-house staff charges systemic problems, opening with “This letter is to serve as detailed documentation of the mistreatment of the [restaurant] staff by the part-owner Kao Saelee,” and alleging “ongoing harassment and intimidation” via an arbitrary write-up system, poor and inconsistent communication, and a lack of concern for employee health, safety, and welfare. Screenshots shared by staff show employees being offered the opportunity to reapply only after completing new training, to “adapt to the new standards and processes without referencing previous policies,” and to commit to working at least four days a week. Staff made clear they do not place blame on the chef—“We ultimately stand by Chef Intu-on and her vision, values, talent, and exceptional food, which is truly the heart of any restaurant,” the blog reads in part—and Kornnawong herself attributed her departure diplomatically to “a multitude of differences” with Saelee: “I felt like we had a difference in the direction and vision of the restaurant. We didn’t see eye-to-eye on the communications and the way to treat our staff.” Former sous chef Claire McCann describes the restaurant’s early days as community-oriented and credits Kornnawong’s leadership style for that culture: “She really is like a teacher, which I think is really important,” and, of Kornnawong’s approach to mistakes and care, McCann recalls, “If someone did something wrong, it’s because we didn’t properly teach them. It’s not on them,” and that the chef would sit down and ask, “Hey, what’s up? How are you feeling?’ because she fucking cared, and I really felt that.” Kornnawong and former staff frame the events as emblematic of wider industry problems—“Everything is expensive here,” Kornnawong says via text. “Staffs should be paid a good, fair living wage and get benefits, etc. We need to take care of each other, to look out for our staff, and treat them like family.”—and staff departures have left the restaurant’s future and ability to deliver the standards that earned its early acclaim in question." - Lena Park