Top Chef star Brittanny Anderson's co-owned restaurant canceled reservation for Christian group’s private event citing staff ‘dignity’ and the group’s opposition to same-sex marriage and abortion rights
Conservative organization denied reservation at Richmond restaurant
Brittanny Anderson restaurant canceled reservation for Christian group
A conservative Christian group has had their reservation canceled by a Virginia restaurant after it emerged that the group opposed same-sex marriage and abortion rights.
Metzger Bar and Butchery in Richmond, Virginia canceled the Christian organization's booking
citing that staff would be made 'uncomfortable' and 'unsafe' by their presence in the establishment.
The conservative Christian group, the Family Foundation, said they were left annoyed by the last minute cancelation and that it was a 'double standard of the left'. The German themed restaurant is co-owned by TV chef Brittanny Anderson who is known for her shows 'Top Chef' and 'Chopped'. The Family Foundation was planning to host a gathering of their supporters at a private room in the restaurant to deliver and update on the group's work. The organization said that around an hour and a half prior to their booking, the restaurant's owners phoned them to cancel the booking. Victoria Cobb, the president of the Family Foundation, described the incident in a blog post, writing that the group wanted to know why the booking had been canceled at the last minute. The group claims that an employee had researched the Family Foundation, and that the staff were refusing to serve them.
Cobb likened her group's experience of being refused service to eateries that refused to serve black customers before the 1964 Civil Rights Act.
She said: 'Welcome to the double standard of the left.'
The Family Group is a non-profit Christian organization based in Virginia that says it advocates for 'policies based on Biblical principles'. The faith-based organization has opposed LGBTQ+ rights and abortion rights.
Shortly after the incident, Metzger Bar and Butchery released a statement on their Instagram page explaining that their staff would be made 'uncomfortable' and 'unsafe' by the group's presence.
'Metzger Bar and Butchery has always prided itself on being an inclusive environment for people to dine in,' they said.
The establishment said they discovered that the Family Foundation was 'a group of donors to a political organization that seeks to deprive women and LGBTQ+ persons of their basic human rights in Virginia.'
They added that many of their staff are 'women and/or members of the LGBTQ+ community. All of our staff are people with rights who deserve dignity and a safe work environment.'
Sounds like she needs some unflattering Yelp reviews.
Just checked, Yelp is blocking reviews.
OK then, just don't eat there.....Shady part of town anyway.