New York Restaurateurs Face Labor Lawsuit

Restaurants & Institutions Magazine
February 9, 2010

Three more New York City restaurants ““ Gemma, Matsuri, and La Bottega ““ owned by famed restaurateurs and hoteliers Eric Goode and Sean MacPherson allegedly violated federal and state labor laws, according to an amended lawsuit filed Monday by Outten & Golden LLP.Six current and former employees, who worked as cooks, dishwashers, and bussers, at four Goode restaurants allege violations of the federal Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) and the New York Labor Law (NYLL).

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The defendants are Eric Goode; Sean MacPherson, Garden Cafe Associates LLC; Sulcata Corp., doing business as B Bar and Grill; Bowery F&B LLC and Bowery Hotel, LLC, doing business as Gemma; and BD Stanhope, LLC, doing business as Matsuri and La Bottega. In addition to these restaurants, Goode and MacPherson co-own and/or operate several prominent restaurants and bars, including the Park, Waverly Inn, and the Lobby Bar at the Jane Hotel.

The case is “Luis Campos, Arnoldo Molina, Gonzalo Vidanos, Jose Garcia, Edison Jachero, and Adrian Gomez, et al., v. Eric Goode, et al.,” U.S. District Court, Southern District of New York, Case No. 10 Civ 0224.