A neighborhood restaurant employees’ union submitted a scathing criticism to the James Beard Basis Awards’ ethics committee on Wednesday, January 22, that requires an investigation into the adorned D.C. hospitality group behind Penn Quarter’s prestigious Indian restaurant Rasika.
Unite Right here Native 25’s report, despatched on the identical day of the muse’s annual chef and restaurant semifinalist bulletins, alleges Knightsbridge violated numerous code of ethics insurance policies as “inhumane, exploitative, or illegal office practices”; “retaliation towards employees who elevate official issues”; “stealing of wages or suggestions”; and “bullying via conduct,” in addition to beginning an “aggressive anti-union marketing campaign” at one among its hottest D.C. eating places.
Per JBF’s code of ethics, a “credible allegation” could consequence within the disqualification of an entrant, nominee, or (semi)finalist, in addition to prohibit them from “utilizing the seal, brand, or picture” tied to its 35-year-old awards program. Knightsbridge didn’t make any appearances on this yr’s newly launched crop of native and nationwide JBA contenders. The muse, which declined to touch upon the submitting itself, does say its ethics committee solely investigates complaints towards present candidates up for awards; as we speak’s semifinalists listing got here out hours after the union introduced the criticism.
Citing interviews with present and previous bussers by identify at Rasika Penn Quarter, the union alleges Knightsbridge “illegally fired a number of union supporters, in addition to interrogated, bullied, and threatened them.” A union rep calls these alleged union-busting makes an attempt “one among a number of causes we filed the ethics criticism with the JBF.”
Native 25 additionally says it filed unfair labor apply expenses towards Knightsbridge with the Nationwide Labor Relations Board. And previous to this month’s unionization push, a number of Knightsbridge employees reported doable violations of wage and hour legal guidelines to D.C.’s Workplace of the Lawyer Basic (OAG).
In an announcement despatched to Eater DC late this afternoon, proprietor Ashok Bajaj categorizes the union’s claims as “inaccurate and unsubstantiated.” He continued:
“The vast majority of our workers haven’t expressed any need to be represented by the union. As an alternative of recognizing that alternative, the union has resorted to incessant harassment of our associates and engaged in an illegal smear marketing campaign to tarnish the status we have now constructed over 36 years. We is not going to give into the union’s techniques on the expense of our workers’ democratic proper to decide on whether or not they need to be represented by a union. We’ll all the time deal with our workers with respect, dignity, and appreciation.”
Bajaj’s decades-old Knightsbridge Restaurant Group is a frequently nominated identify on JBF lists relationship again to 2008. Rasika’s government chef Vikram Sunderam gained the nationwide title of Greatest Chef in 2014, and extra lately, Bajaj was a James Beard semifinalist within the Excellent Restaurateur class in 2022 and once more in 2024.
The bombshell allegations come following workers from Rasika Penn Quarter and its downtown Italian sibling Modena calling on possession to voluntarily acknowledge a union final week. There can be about 100 employees complete within the unit, says a Native 25 rep, and a majority at every restaurant have signed the union authorization playing cards.
Bajaj’s well-known D.C. eating empire additionally contains different Indian scorching spots like Rasika West Finish, Bindaas, and Bombay Membership; Dupont’s trendy American eatery Annabelle; White Home-adjacent bistro La Bise; Cleveland Park’s Little Blackbird and Sababa; and Van Ness’ rotisserie-fueled newcomer Rosedale.
The 75-year-old union that presently represents 500 restaurant employees across the DMV tells Eater that is the primary criticism it has filed with the JBF, which proclaims 2025 winners at a glitzy Chicago ceremony this June.
The union, which plans to picket outdoors Rasika Penn Quarter on Thursday, January 23, at 5:30 p.m., additionally leafleted clients outdoors of Knightsbridge’s sibling spots Sababa, Little Blackbird, and Rasika West Finish.
The identical union can be representing employees from one other large hospitality group on the town; tons of of workers at three of Stephen Starr’s most iconic D.C. eating places — Le Diplomate, Pastis, and St. Anselm — concurrently introduced plans to unionize final week. (Solely Knightsbridge and its Rasika Penn Quarter location are a part of as we speak’s criticism to JBF.)
The union says it has not but obtained a response from Starr on voluntary recognition, and employees at his smooth St. Anselm steakhouse within the Union Market district filed for a union election on Friday, January 17. “We’re nonetheless hopeful that the corporate will acknowledge them,” per a union rep.
