J. Kenji López-Alt is a chef and partner at Wursthall in San Mateo, less than 20 miles from downtown San Francisco.
He is also a bigot. Last week, he tweeted, "It hasnt happened yet, but if you come to my restaurant wearing a MAGA cap, you arent getting served, same as if you come in wearing a swastika, white hood, or any other symbol of intolerance and hate."
But instead of hosannas, this renowned chef is receiving flak for refusing to serve people.
On Friday, the chef ate his words, writing, "I want to start by apologizing to my staff and partners at Wursthall. Making a public statement without taking my teams thoughts into consideration was disrespectful and reckless. My goal at Wursthall was for it to be a restaurant where all employees and staff are treated with respect and trust, and by making that public statement without your consent, I failed at that goal. I will work hard to earn back that trust."
Then he went into his background (Mom is from Japan, Dad is from Western Pennsylvania) and how diverse his family is before explaining himself.
"My message was intended to reject anger, hate and violence, and indicate that these shouldnt be welcomed in our society and arent welcome in our community. It was meant to be directed at those who would try to bring messages of hate, violence, and anger into my place of business, no matter what form it comes in. It was aimed at these three elements rather than at a physical object, but I understand that many interpreted my words in a different context, and construed a message of hate directed at them. This was not my intent in any way, and I am sorry for my recklessness," he wrote.
The odd thing about writing is readers read what you actually write, not what you think you said.
I make that mistake that over and over again.
He thought he could signal his virtue by showing he is intolerant of the intolerant.
However, he signaled his own intolerance.
He ended his piece, "Wursthall will continue, as it always has, to serve all customer regardless of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, sexual preference, gender orientation, disability, or political opinion so long as they leave hate, anger, and violence outside of the doors of our restaurant."
In the Bay Area, expect the "hate, anger, and violence" to come from the left.
