Latest news with #LukeSung
Daily Mail
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
San Francisco chef loses everything after telling influencer she wasn't famous enough to get a free dinner
The San Francisco chef who got fired for telling a TikToker she was not famous enough to eat for free at his restaurant has lost everything. Luke Sung was outed last week as the chef at Kis Cafe who turned 'micro influencer' @itskarlabb away from an event at the restaurant because she didn't have enough followers. Not only was Sung fired over the incident, but now the restaurant has announced its permanent closure due to the ongoing drama and public backlash. It all started when Karla Marcotte posted a TikTok detailing her visit to Kis Cafe. She said she was left 'shaking' after being invited to a collaboration with the Bay Area wine bar. According to Marcotte, she expected to receive a free meal for her and her husband in exchange for posting a video about the restaurant on her channel – which, at the time, had 15,000 followers. However, after arriving at the restaurant, award–winning chef Sung questioned why Marcotte had been invited. In the video, which now has over 21 million views, Marcotte began, 'I just left a restaurant collaboration crying.' She explained that she had a TikTok collaboration with the new restaurant, located in Hayes Valley, that she was 'really excited for.' Marcotte arrived alone, as her husband was meeting her there later, and she spoke with the host before beginning to film around the restaurant. However, when she took her seat, she overheard a conversation between Sung and the host in which the chef was dissing her follower count, according to Marcotte. 'He is not having it,' Marcotte said – describing how the chef slammed the host for inviting her to the restaurant. 'This is Kis Cafe in Hayes Valley SF. The owner is Luke Sung. He also founded the restaurant Isa. Both restaurants named after his influencer kids, Isa Sung and Sunkis.' Once Sung and Marcotte were introduced, he confronted her about not having enough followers, and said her audience is not the kind of people he wants at his restaurant, which Marcotte interpreted to mean that he doesn't think her fans could afford to eat there. Sung then began to brag about his own accolades, and flexed his daughter's follower count – saying that Marcotte is not 'at that level.' After her husband arrived, Marcotte left without eating at the restaurant and went on to post the TikTok – without specifically naming the restaurant or the chef. However, TikTok sleuths were quickly able to figure out that the restaurant in question was Kis Cafe, and that chef was Sung. In the aftermath of her viral video, Yelp and Google reviews of Kis Cafe and Sung's former restaurant Isa have been flooded with one–star reviews. Multiple celebrities commented on Marcotte's video in support of the micro influencer. 'I'm so sorry queen. He spoke it into existence tho! We your audience will never ever be dining at Kis Cafe,' Alex Cooper of the Call Her Daddy podcast commented. 'Love how badly this has gone for them,' wrote Jameela Jamil. On Sunday, Sung issued a public apology. 'Hi everyone – I am Luke Sung (previous chef of Kis Cafe). 'It was important for me to first apologize to Karla privately and step away from Kis Cafe before publicly apologizing.' 'Karla – I am truly sorry for my actions towards you. I was condescending, hurtful, and intimidating. You did not deserve to be made feel less then or unimportant,' he wrote. The apology was posted on the Kis Cafe Instagram account, because Sung has no public social media pages. Though, the restaurant specified in the caption that he is 'no longer affiliated with the restaurant in any way or a co–owner.' 'I also want to be clear the responsibility of this whole situation is mine alone and my behavior should not be a reflection on anyone else who works there, or anyone who is related to me,' Sung wrote. 'I truly care about my staff and am devastated that my actions have impacted both them and their families.' Sung also addressed his staff and family – especially his daughter, who he dragged into the situation by touting her follower count.. 'I am sorry I put you in this position,' he wrote. 'I've failed you in the worst way.' On Saturday, Kis Cafe announced it had been 'a pleasure serving our neighbors and community,' but that 'tonight is our last night.' The restaurant has closed, permanently.
San Francisco Chronicle
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- San Francisco Chronicle
‘I've failed you': S.F. chef apologizes after viral clash with influencer
The San Francisco chef at the center of a viral social media controversy issued a public apology Sunday for a recent incident involving a TikTok influencer. Meanwhile, the restaurant in the dustup, Kis Cafe in Hayes Valley, announced its last night of service was Saturday and that it is now permanently closed, according to its Instagram account. Luke Sung was ousted as chef and co-owner of Kis Cafe last week after he drew widespread online condemnation for his treatment of a food influencer identified as @ItsKarlaBB. The incident is the latest to highlight the fraught relationship between restaurants and influencers, who can help promote them — or, in this case, close them. 'Hi everyone — I am Luke Sung,' began the apology posted to Kis Cafe's Instagram page. 'It was important for me to first apologize to Karla privately and step away from Kis Cafe before publicly apologizing.' Sung acknowledged being 'condescending, hurtful, and intimidating' to the influencer during her visit for a planned promotional dinner. @itskarlabb its a long video and not something i would normally upload but i feel like i had to talk about this experience. i basically ran out of there but i wish i would've stood up for myself. if you are a micro influencer i know it's easy to feel discouraged at times but don't let anyone make you feel small or unimportant!! ♬ original sound - itskarlabb Her emotional account of the encounter — shared Wednesday in a TikTok video that has since amassed over 20 million views — accused Sung of belittling her content and follower count, which stood at 15,000 at the time. That number has since surged past 350,000. According to the influencer, after briefly glancing through her TikTok profile, the chef dismissed her work. 'After scrolling, like, two times, he says to me that he doesn't think my videos are at the level at which he wants his restaurant represented,' she said in her video. He then criticized her audience, she said. 'He goes on to say that my audience and my followers are not the kind of people that are going to be at his restaurant,' she said. 'It seemed like he was insinuating that my followers would not be able to afford to eat at this restaurant.' The encounter escalated further when Sung asked if she knew who he was. She said she didn't. 'He says he's a James Beard Award recipient or finalist or something, and I'm like 'great, like, I don't know what to say to that,'' she said. Sung reportedly followed by citing his daughter's online presence, telling the influencer that she wasn't on the same level as his daughter, Isabelle 'Isa' Sung, who he said had 600,000 TikTok followers. 'I told him I felt disrespected and didn't want to collaborate anymore,' she said in her video. In his apology, Luke Sung stated, 'There are no excuses to be made. I've decided it's time for me to step away from Kis Cafe permanently and in all capacities.' The fallout has been swift. Kis Cafe, which opened in May, initially apologized on Thursday and confirmed Sung was no longer affiliated in 'any way.' 'I also want to be clear the responsibility of this whole situation is mine alone and my behavior should not be a reflection on anyone else who works there, or anyone who is related to me,' Sung wrote. 'I truly care about my staff and am devastated that my actions have impacted both them and their families.' Yelp and Google reviews of both Kis Cafe and Sung's former restaurant Isa, in the Marina District, have been inundated with one-star ratings. Sung also addressed his staff and family, notably his daughter. 'I am sorry I put you in this position,' he wrote. 'I've failed you in the worst way.'
News.com.au
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- News.com.au
Chef fired after making ‘micro' influencer cry over follower count
A 'prominent' US chef who refused to give an influencer a free meal because she didn't have enough followers, resulting in her leaving the venue in floods of tears, has reportedly lost his job. Luke Sung has stepped away from the recently opened Kis Cafe in San Francisco after he made a 'micro' food vlogger known as @itskarlabb cry. The furore began when Karla visited the restaurant on Wednesday as part of a prearranged partnership with the cafe's team which would see her get a free meal in exchange for a video. After showing up early to film content, Karla claimed that a man – later identified as the celebrated chef and co-owner – questioned her 15,000-follower count and told staff it was a 'mistake' to invite an influencer so small. Karla said the clash was 'extremely belittling' and as a result, she left the Kis Cafe in tears, later taking to TikTok to share her experience. Her video has since clocked up over 20 million views to date, sparking an avalanche of outrage against Sung, and reportedly seen him walk away from the venture. His co-owner, who has asked not to be identified due to countless phone and online threats, told NBC Bay Area the cafe was 'temporarily closed' as it figured out its next steps. 'When we're ready, we will restart differently, separate from chef,' the co-owner told the local outlet. 'This way my staff can also continue their livelihoods.' The restaurant, which only opened in May, also blasted Sung's alleged behaviour, labelling it 'unacceptable' in a statement shared on social media. 'He is no longer part of the team as a co-owner, a chef, or in any other way,' it read. 'That behaviour does not reflect the remainder of our team. We want to create a space that's welcoming and respectful to everyone. In this instance, we failed to do so.' Karla, who now has almost 370,000 followers following the furore, said she had overheard the chef discrediting her work while she was sat waiting for her husband to arrive. 'He was saying I had too little followers,' Karla recalled in her video. 'I am turning red because I am so embarrassed, and I feel really disrespected.' The influencer said that when she introduced herself, Sung grilled her over whether she had researched the wine bar. She insisted she knew the menu and the vibe, but said Sung disagreed and began scrolling through her TikTok feed at full volume within earshot. 'After scrolling like, two times, he says to me that he doesn't think my videos are at the level which he wants his restaurant represented,' she recalled. 'It seemed like he was insinuating that my followers would not be able to afford to eat at this restaurant.' Sung then reportedly asked, 'Do you know who I am?' and told Karla he was a two-time James Beard Award finalist and that his daughter is Big Apple vlogger, Isa Sung, who has 600,000 TikTok followers. He also dismissed the influencer's cooking videos she posted to her platform, dissing them as 'homey,' Karla said. The belittling exchange left her in tears, she said. 'I told him I felt disrespected and didn't want to collaborate anymore.' Since skyrocketing to viral fame, Karla said she wants to 'be an advocate for micro influencers' who don't receive as many handouts. 'You don't need to have a million followers to be respected or feel like you're making a difference,' she explained. The fallout for Kis Cafe has been huge, as social media users rushed to support Karla by flooding it with negative reviews. 'Well, he was right about one thing, your followers are not going to be eating at his restaurant,' one joked. 'Love how badly this has gone for them,' said another.
Daily Mail
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Top chef fired for making influencer cry by telling her she wasn't famous enough for free food
A TikTok 'micro influencer' got a top San Francisco chef fired after saying she was left in tears by the restauranteur's refusal to give her free food because she wasn't famous. Food influencer itskarlabb said she was left 'shaking' after being invited to a collaboration with Bay Area wine bar Kis Cafe, where she expected to receive a free meal for her and her husband in exchange for a promotion video on her channel. But the creator said that after arriving at the restaurant, award-winning chef Luke Sung questioned why she had been invited. He allegedly 'disrespected' her for only having 15,000 followers and said she was 'not at the level' needed to represent his restaurant. In response, itskarlabb said she aims to be an 'advocate for micro influencers,' and argued: 'You don't need to have a million followers to be respected or feel like you're making a difference.' Although she did not name Sung or Kis Cafe in her video, fans of the creator quickly figured out where it was after the TikTok received over 10 million views. She said the confrontation made her leave the eatery in tears, and accused Sung of insinuating that her modest following meant that her fans likely could not afford to eat there anyway. Days after the TikTok went viral, Kis Cafe said on Instagram that Sung's 'behavior was unacceptable' and said he was 'no longer part of the team as a co-owner, a chef or in any other way'. The restaurant said it was temporarily closing down in response to the backlash to 'restructure after these events'. 'In the meantime, we hope to still be able to sustain the livelihoods of our team members and their families,' the restaurant said. 'Lastly, we understand the frustration and anger, but please do not use this lapse in our values as an opportunity to foment racism and hate speech towards us and our loved ones.' After sharing her viral TikTok, itskarlabb saw her following shoot up from 15,000 to over 215,000 followers. The self-described 'micro influencer' said in her clip that she was invited to the restaurant by Kis Cafe, and showed texts on screen where she told the eatery she was 'excited to highlight your amazing restaurant and share with my audience'. She said that after arriving and filming the inside, she was sat at the bar before hearing the host and chef arguing behind the counter, feet away from her. The chef, 'is asking the host who I am, why I'm here, and how many followers I have on TikTok', she recalled, and after seeing her modest following, 'is not happy about it.' 'He was saying that I have too little followers and that this is a mistake,' she added. She added that he then searched up her Instagram to find she had just over 1000 followers on that platform, and began berating the host for inviting her at all. She said he 'disrespected' her by bringing up her TikTok and playing her videos in front of her, telling her that her videos are 'not at the level' that he had hoped. 'He goes on to tell me that my followers are not the kind of people that are going to be at his restaurant,' she added. 'It seemed like he was insinuating that my followers would not be able to afford to eat at this restaurant.' The restaurant does not have a website, however according to food review site Yelp, it serves dishes including Tom Yum and spicy beef, both for $18.99. She said the chef then brought up that he was a James Beard Award winning chef and asked her, 'do you know who I am', to which she said she didn't. 'At this point, I'm crying,' she said. 'So, I tell him that I'm no longer interested in doing the collab, and that I felt disrespected... and he tells me that he was offended because I didn't introduce myself to him.' 'I want to be an advocate for micro influencers,' she said. 'You don't need to have a million followers to be respected or feel like you're making a difference. 'I love spotlighting small businesses.' The establishment has since been hit with a flurry of one-star ratings on Yelp, as part of a phenomenon known as 'review bombing'. A notice on the restaurant's page says Yelp is, 'being monitored by Yelp's Support team forrelated to media reports
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Viral post claims an influencer left a restaurant crying. Now the California establishment has temporarily closed amid backlash
A Bay Area restaurant has temporarily closed its doors after a dispute between its award-winning chef and a food influencer ended with the woman leaving in tears and the cook being out of a job. Chef Luke Sung opened Kis Cafe along Hayes Street in San Francisco in April alongside partner Eric Lin. Three months on, a press release from the restaurant announced that Sung has left the business and that it would be 'closing soon and restructuring after these events.' 'Our chef's behavior was unacceptable and he is no longer part of the team as a co-owner, a chef, or in any other way,' the restaurant wrote in a statement on Instagram on Thursday evening. 'That behavior does not reflect the remainder of our team. We want to create a space that's welcoming and respectful to everyone. In this instance, we failed to do so.' Seemingly part of a publicity push, the restaurant reportedly partnered with a self-described micro-influencer known only as Karla, offering free meals in exchange for a TikTok post. In a video posted Tuesday under her handle @itskarlabb, the woman claimed that Sung dismissed her because her 15,000 followers weren't enough to represent his establishment. 'He was saying I had too little followers,' Karla recalled overhearing while sitting at the bar, awaiting her husband. 'I am turning red because I am so embarrassed, and I feel really disrespected.' After introducing himself, the TikToker alleged Sung insinuated that her followers couldn't afford to dine out at his restaurant. 'He goes on to say that my audience and my followers are not the kind of people that are going to be at his restaurant,' she continued. 'Do you know who I am?' said Sung, a two-time James Beard nominee, according to the influencer. Sung allegedly criticised the quality of Karla's videos and made insulting remarks before she agreed to leave. 'At this point I'm crying, and I want to get out, so I tell him that I'm no longer interested in doing the collab',' the influencer said. 'I tell him that I felt disrespected because they were talking about me right in front of me and belittling my work.' Reflecting on the incident, Karla called the collaboration a 'mistake.' Kis Cafe said that Sung had reached out to the influencer to apologise, and since posting a video about the exchange this week, she has gained more than 185,000 followers. On Thursday, the woman posted an update to her TikTok account, saying she woke up to a wave of new followers and supportive messages. 'I woke up today to the most supportive and kind and genuine and encouraging comments and messages,' she said. 'I could not be more grateful and shocked at how much empathy you guys have toward basically a stranger on the internet.' Since the incident, Kis Cafe's Yelp rating has dropped to below two stars, while Google Reviews has temporarily disabled its review section. Solve the daily Crossword
