Why Gabrielle Hamilton’s Spotted Pig Deal Fell Apart | Eater

"The restaurant became the focal point of a proposed takeover by two chefs who said their goal was to enact a #MeToo–era cleanup at a place rife with industry problems — sexual harassment, pay parity, immigrant-documentation issues and entrenched upstairs/downstairs hierarchies. The plan originally allowed the accused former owner, Ken Friedman, to remain as a passive lead investor and collect profit if the business became profitable, because the chefs viewed addressing that site as where they could do the most substantial work. They intended to import their own staff manual and values and make cosmetic changes like repainting the dark interior pale yellow, but withdrew after discovering Friedman was still receiving a salary-style “management fee” despite not working on-site; keeping him on the payroll proved ethically and financially untenable amid industry backlash, and the deal ultimately dissolved." - Monica Burton