The case of hazing in Michelin-starred dining explodes in Biarritz: the luxurious Hotel du Palais abruptly fires chef Aurélien Largeau after the scandalous investigation by "Sud Ouest" newspaper. However, the young victim, hounded by gossip, has fled to Paris.
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What really goes on in professional kitchens? There's now a whole genre of gastronomic literature on the subject, from Marco Pierre White to Anthony Bourdain, while anecdotes ranging from pulp to splatter abound. Sometimes, however, sometimes it involves dry legal reporting. Like in the case of Aurélien Largeau, the French chef awarded a Michelin star at the Hotel du Palais in Biarritz, where an official investigation has been launched.
The man has outlined a defense: "I formally contest the accusations that some media have made against me and strongly assert that the reported events are completely false." "Devastated," he said, condemning any acts of hazing or humiliation in kitchen environments. However, the Hyatt group did not believe him and promptly showed him the door, citing a "worrying incident" not in line with their values.
The young chef's career seemed to be thriving: appointed to lead the fine dining at the luxury hotel in 2020, last year he earned his first star, propelling him among the country's most promising newcomers. Until December 2nd, when a young colleague would have been tied naked to a chair, with a carrot in his rear and an apple blocking his mouth, in front of the rest of the astonished team. The scene would have also been filmed and shared on social media, later removed.
The victim himself, named Lucas, downplays the incident, describing it as a simple joke among friends, much lighter and without the humiliating use of vegetables as reported. He even mentions that the chef often checks on him to inquire about how he is coping with the incident. The pressure has been so intense that it pushed him to leave the job and take up a new one in Paris, where, however, his reputation would precede him. "All I can say is that I left of my own accord. It was a harmless joke among friends that took on absurd media proportions."
Even the judiciary is taking action: the Bayonne prosecutor, despite not receiving any complaint, has already opened an investigation for sexual assault and violence based on the information obtained from the "Sud-Ouest" newspaper.
