The chef-partner of San Mateo’s Wursthall restaurant is apologizing for a since deleted tweet that said patrons wearing “Make America Great Again” hats won’t be served.
J. Kenji Lopez-Alt, who gained fame for his 2015 book,"The Food Lab: Better Home Cooking Through Science” has gotten significant attention for the statement and said, in a Medium post, “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.”
He also apologized to his staff for not taking their thoughts into consideration and said the ban was not actually official restaurant policy and rather his personal perspective.
The tweet last weekend said Lopez-Alt views the hats as symbols of intolerance and hate. "It hasn't happened yet, but if you come to my restaurant wearing a MAGA cap, you aren't getting served, same as if you come in wearing a swastika, white hood, or any other symbol of intolerance and hate,” the tweet said.
The red hats, which are sold on President Donald Trump's campaign website, have become polarizing. The hats were worn by some Kentucky high school students involved in a Jan. 18 confrontation with a Native American elder near the Lincoln Memorial.
In the post, Lopez-Alt said 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.”
Wursthall opened last year at at 310 Baldwin Ave., in the former Cappellini site in downtown San Mateo.
Hey Mr. J. Kenji Lopez-Alt. That was a very weak and insincere apology. How about apologizing to those in your community who support our president and admit that you should never have equated the red hats in question to racism, the KKK and hate. Next, you should make it up by offering every person who comes in to your establishment with a Make America Great Again hat on gets a free bratwurst and a fine German beer. I think that would go a long way in mending fences if that is your desire.
While I fully agree with the perspective re: MAGA hats, I also appreciate your willingness to soften your stance and offer this public statement. It must be a difficult position to be in - offer service to the community while having to temper your own personal sense of ethics, morality and right. I was born and raised in the Bay Area, and now live in Oregon, so I have never visited your establishment. I do imagine, however, that your environment speaks to your character and conscience. A truly welcoming spirit has become more challenging of late - and I appreciate and support your openness and willingness to serve those with whom you may disagree. I am very heartened by your response: it takes a lot of courage to admit when you have taken a misstep, and apologize for your error. peace
As much as I am not a Trump supporter, I'm glad they rescinded this. For one, it's the kind of thing that gives us liberals a bad name. And two, I don't want a quid pro quo starting with a restaurant banning me for wearing my "Ready for Kamala" shirt.
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(4) comments
Hey Mr. J. Kenji Lopez-Alt. That was a very weak and insincere apology. How about apologizing to those in your community who support our president and admit that you should never have equated the red hats in question to racism, the KKK and hate.
Next, you should make it up by offering every person who comes in to your establishment with a Make America Great Again hat on gets a free bratwurst and a fine German beer. I think that would go a long way in mending fences if that is your desire.
While I fully agree with the perspective re: MAGA hats, I also appreciate your willingness to soften your stance and offer this public statement. It must be a difficult position to be in - offer service to the community while having to temper your own personal sense of ethics, morality and right. I was born and raised in the Bay Area, and now live in Oregon, so I have never visited your establishment. I do imagine, however, that your environment speaks to your character and conscience. A truly welcoming spirit has become more challenging of late - and I appreciate and support your openness and willingness to serve those with whom you may disagree. I am very heartened by your response: it takes a lot of courage to admit when you have taken a misstep, and apologize for your error. peace
As much as I am not a Trump supporter, I'm glad they rescinded this. For one, it's the kind of thing that gives us liberals a bad name. And two, I don't want a quid pro quo starting with a restaurant banning me for wearing my "Ready for Kamala" shirt.
Too late!
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PLEASE TURN OFF YOUR CAPS LOCK.
Anyone violating these rules will be issued a warning. After the warning, comment privileges can be revoked.