He advertised steaks covered in gold leaf. He posed for the camera, pretending to be a slaughterhouse maestro with dozens of cows clustered around him. He often takes selfies in refrigerators surrounded by piles of raw meat. He flaunts his wealth and insensitivity on social media almost daily.

Chef Nusret Gokce, known as Salt Bae for the way he salts his meat, has also been in the news in recent days for his behavior towards his workers. Not one, not two, but seven lawsuits were filed against him by his employees, accusing him of gender discrimination, labor violations and stealing tips. According to a report in the Independent newspaper, four waiters claimed he stole their tips and that when they found out, he fired them. The lawsuit was settled and the businessman’s side paid $230,000.

Another waiter accused Salt Bay of “withholding” a 3% tip for his business before handing it out to staff, a charge that the Turkish businessman’s lawyers called frivolous, but they “settled” in July 2020 by paying $300,000.

While the presence of this particular chef and businessman is disgusting to many, we have to admit that the complaints about his business – toxic environment, violent and abusive behavior, banditry, tip theft – are not unprecedented. They are common in the catering industry, even in very high-end restaurants. Perhaps this is a much more pronounced phenomenon in well-known and titled companies, since the competition there is relentless.

In the shelters of the kitchen, battles are fought, inequality and injustice reign. In regards to withholding part of the tip, I would argue that this has now become the practice in most upmarket restaurants. When you pay 1,000 euros for a dinner for two, you don’t skimp on tips, and the businessman won’t leave them unattended.