Lo & Behold Group says unconventional social post on chef dismissal was to ‘take a stand’

The Lo & Behold Group has terminated its relationship with chef Shigeru Koizumi (pictured right) who was working at its Japanese kappo-style restaurant, Esora, following an internal investigation into "multiple accounts of mistreatment". The termination was announced on Instagram and the post received mix statements from netizens.

Some called out the Group for being "unprofessional" and "airing its dirty laundry" and that it is "bad taste" for airing Koizumi's termination in public. One user, however, commented and said that the Group was trying to balance being answerable to the public and the victims behind his mistreatments. When approached by MARKETING-INTERACTIVE, the Group's spokesperson said the team deliberated long and hard before putting out the post.

"Ultimately, we did it to take a stand against the darker side of our industry that is known to get swept under the rug, and to prevent speculation on the reasons for the termination," the spokesperson added. 

Meanwhile, its Instagram post said that as a company, the Group is committed to providing a safe and positive work environment for all staff and cannot accept any behaviour that jeopardises this. The Group did not provide additional details in the Instagram post. A quick check by MARKETING-INTERACTIVE found that netizens' comments were mainly on Esora's Instagram page despite the statement also being published on Facebook. 

https://www.instagram.com/p/CY1AzNJvCgs

According to The Business Times, Koizumi's employment was understood to have been terminated on 17 January. Koizumi previously faced allegations about staff mistreatment and according to BT, this was one of the factors that resulted in Esora's closure in 2019, nearly over a year after it first opened its doors. It was also later reported that Koizumi was leaving Singapore for "a much-needed break" and while Esora did not reopen previously due to the pandemic, it did so last year, BT reported.

Citing multiple restaurateurs, BT also reported that it was "highly unusual" for a chef or any staff to be fired publicly as such issues are typically handled internally. 

Esora is now helmed by head chef, Takeshi Araki, who decade-long career includes four years at three Michelin-starred Nihonryori RyuGin. He will be accompanied by returning chef de cuisine, Noboru Shimohigashi. Shimohigashi was part of Esora's opening and comes from three Michelin-starred Odette, a restaurant that features a fusion of French cuisine with Asian influences.