PX Me. (How I Became a Published Author, Got Micro-Famous, and Married a Millionaire)
When Abbe Diaz published her journal, PX This – Diary of the "Maître d’ to the Stars" [née Diary of the Potted Plant] in 2004, she’d had no idea what she was in for. Sure, she expected the process would be difficult and she might never work in the fine dining restaurant industry ever again, but she never imagined the truth could be so controversial— in a book that’s essentially about HAVING DINNER.
Despite PX This being lauded by most of her colleagues (and some of the most illustrious names in the business) as "the bible of the [NYC] industry," Diaz soon learned the politics of Food and/or "Culture" Media & PR is a game that’s dirtier than last night’s dishes. Finding herself under unjustified fire from various vastly popular and influential periodicals, news blogs, food press, online foodie communities, and other professional and aspiring writers, Diaz (a textbook Scorpio/Monkey) quickly realized [again] there were two things in her life she would never be willing to do: 1) Take unmerited bullshit, and 2) Kiss spiteful pretentious ass.
As you can probably imagine, that went over reeeally well. Mistruths, mudslinging, manipulation, misappropriation, corruption, censorship, and the tarnishing of her character— as well as the livelihoods of her friends and loved ones— are just some of the things she subsequently endured.
This is that story.
"This writing stuff is HARD." – Salman Rushdie (to friends on Facebook®)
"If you think the writing is hard, wait ’til you try the selling part. Oh, wait…" – Abbe Diaz (in response to friend, Salman Rushdie, on Facebook®)
PX Me – The Sequel to PX This
(How I Became a Published Author, Got Micro-Famous,
and Married a Millionaire)
- COMING SOON IN THE SPRING OF 2012 -
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Abbe Diaz is a freelance commercial-artist, designer/dressmaker, and restaurant consultant. She has worked in the restaurant/bar industry for nearly 25 years, with numerous stints throughout the New York dining/party scene that include: Limelight, Palladium, Tunnel, Club USA, Coffee Shop, Spy, Cafe Tabac, The Strand (Miami Beach), Mercer Kitchen, Ilo, Lotus, and Theo. She served as the opening maître d’ for The Park, Smith, and 66.
She is proud to have had the opportunity to work under such nightlife arbiters as: Jean-Georges Vongerichten, Brian McNally, Jonathan Morr, Peter Gatien, Eric Goode, and Sean Macpherson.
Diaz gained a B.A. in Economics from Rutgers College, Rutgers University – New Brunswick. She was further educated as a non-matriculate Design student at the Fashion Institute of Technology, in NYC, where she currently resides.
• “The New York service industry’s Norma Rae, Abbe Diaz… the Service Industry’s Nikke Finke…” – BlackBook
• “…pure unbridled crazy batshitness…” – gawker.com
For more information about PX This – Diary of the "Maître d’ to the Stars" visit http://pxthis.com/thebook
* * * * *
Have you heard?
Until the release of PX Me – The Sequel to PX This (Spring 2012), this website will henceforth be updated only intermittently (approximately once or twice a week).
Abbe Diaz’s new (daily) blog is now at: abbediaz.com
Hey, did you hear about Mark Birnbaum getting sued for sexual harrassament? [No? Oh, you must live in a fucking cave.]
Discuss.
Cuz you knooow you want to.
COMMENTS ARE OPEN.
How’s this, I’ll start— maybe I’ll just fill in some of the ones I’ve heard out and about so far (jump on in anytime) :
[ Keep scrolling... ]
Ladies and Gentlemen, May We Have Your Attention
Christian Alexander‘s gatherings may have been heating up The Mulberry Project for the past couple weeks or so, but things are about to get even hotter. And we maybe don’t exactly mean that in a good way.
Now that its opening has been officially announced, chances are likely the diminutive venue will now be in far greater demand. This has the neighbors worried. According to sources who live nearby, the former establishment located within the space "practically closed itself," when persistent complaints from the area’s residents, about the noise emanating from the rear garden, had the city’s building departments incessantly breathing down its neck.
Here’s a valuable word of advice: If it’s very late at night (or rather, early in the morning) and you don’t see the doorman poised at the basement entrance of 149 Mulberry St, do the place a favor and just keep walking. Do not harass the neighbors, do not disturb the local shops/shopkeepers, and certainly do not go around ringing random buzzers or screaming into the void.
You’re not getting in. Let it go— that is, if you want the joint to survive long enough for you to try another day. Frustrated homebodies say they "don’t want to be enemies," but are losing patience quickly. Please consider this "fair warning."
This has been a PX This PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT
* * * * *
Have you heard?
Until the release of PX Me (Summer 2011), this website will henceforth be updated only intermittently (approximately once or twice a week).
Abbe Diaz’s new (daily) blog is now at:
The Curious Case of Gwendolyn Butler
OK, I don’t actually know if Boston’s notorious "$3M Bartender" Gwen Butler was really christened Gwendolyn at some point in her life, but I just thought it sounded better in the title.
Anyhoo! PX This hereby presents the following NEWSFLASH: Gwen Butler’s recent appointment as General Manager of La Esquina has been terminated. We repeat: GWEN BUTLER HAS LEFT THE BUILDING.
Fascinating, isn’t it?
No? Why should you actually care, you ask? Who gives a goddamn, you inquire?
Well, New York magazine’s Grubstreet cares! So nyeah. And frankly, we here at PX This care too. And YOU— curious, sagacious, cognizant, voracious, zealous associate of the NYC Food & Beverage industry— maybe you should care too. Think of it as an compelling case study!
You may recall Boston’s scandalous "$3M Bartender"/"Full Comp"-blogger first made her big splash in NYC as anonymous-writer/Keith-McNally-pillorer "Sympathy for the Restaurant Industry."
She trundled through various undertakings, searing her mountainous brand upon the backsides of venues across the great island of Manhattan— Bubby’s, Daydream, Thunder Jacksons, etc— all culminating in an unprecedented and uproarious smackdown with Wonder Douche dumb chef, Ryan Skeen.*
Still, she managed to emerge triumphant, landing her "dream job" as GM of longtime über-hotspot, La Esquina.
Unfortunately, despite her entrusted duty-bound title, it wasn’t long at all before Butler was up to her old shenanigans, unable to resist the siren call of glorious foodie-blog superstardom. It seems that under Butler’s deft Deep-Throat email-wielding hands, La Esquina soon came under befuddled stupefied scrutiny, and avid supporters of "co-owner" Serge Becker were suddenly left scratching their heads wondering if they should take their patronage elsewhere.
Apparently, this didn’t bode well for La Esquina’s bottom line; "an insider" from the restaurant approximates it may even have possibly diminished the nightly cover estimate by as much as "30 percent," as the cool crowd moved their party up the street, to fellow chronic cool-dude Nur Khan‘s Kenmare.
However, another "La Esquina insider" tells us that doesn’t even begin to scratch the surface of Butler’s "wackadoo" tenure. As early as July 30, 2010 (mere weeks into Butler’s regime) the staff had already organized a mass email campaign to owner Derek Sanders, imploring the ejection of the newly-instated Butler.
Truth be told, we here at PX This have been fielding the plenitudinous grumblings ever since.
That surprises you, doesn’t it? I mean, after all, the whooole "blogger world" (whoever the hell that’s supposed to be) considers us to be "the La Esquina shit-talkers" (whatever the hell that’s supposed to mean)—
don’t they, dear?
[Please, by all means, hit that "La Esquina" tag-link, and just revel in all the "shit" we've been talking. While you're at it, try the "Gwen Butler" tag-link too, and then maybe you can figure out what we've ever done to have Ms Butler trying to unofficially "blacklist" us from La Esquina for weeks now. According to a "La Esquina insider" (or two, or four, or more) that is.]
Oh waaait, never mind, I got it. It’s this comment here by our chieftain, isn’t it?
Well— you certainly can’t say she never told you so.
*Yeh, don’t think we didn’t catch that snide ignorant little dig on your Twitter page before you deleted it, Ryan Skeen. 
Viva La Esquina!
***********************************************
For more on this story, read PX Me – The Sequel to PX This Coming in the Spring of 2011
• Which vainglorious, injudicious, maladroit colleague has already been replaced but just doesn’t know it yet?
Sigh.
Lie down with dogs…
• Which restaurateur is in a quandary over a popular "concept" that was recently sold to somebody else? Damn those pesky majority shareholders, always getting in the way of personal profit.
• Which ostensible windfall is already causing more trouble than it’s (literally) worth? Tsk, tsk— mo’ money, mo’ problems. (Or, unfortunately in this case— no money, bigger problems.)
GREATEST HITS: PX This [The Blahg / The Forum]
Hi! Thank you for your "search"!
This website is currently undergoing changes as it continually progresses, so the entry for which you are seeking has likely been archived within "The Greatest Hits – PX This [The Blahg]". It was removed from its original location in preparation for the upcoming release of PX This Too (The Sequel to PX This). If you would like more information and/or further clarification on this particular narrative, please read PX This – The Revised Edition and/or PX This Too (coming soon).
And so without further ado— by popular (search engine) demand, we proudly present THE GREATEST HITS of PX This [The Blahg / The Forum]
SATURDAY, JULY 14, 2007. 12:40PM
Presenting: THE GRASSHOPPER CHRONICLES (Did Chef Jody Williams try to undermine her former boss by planting a grasshopper in a sandwich wrap?) by *Dick Johnson* – Archived at 59,823 Views
- March 20, 2007 : The saga begins here; Abbe Diaz (author, blogger, Forum launcher, "former maitre d’ to the stars" and girlfriend of Gusto Ristorante/ Centro Vinoteca /Mangia owner Sasha Muniak) comments about her dining experience at the newly opened Morandi. She writes:
"…i’ve pretty much refrained from commenting about Morandi, mostly because maybe it’s like too personal or some shit, but i must say that place works my every last nerve.
the thing i find utterly retarded is
clearly they have opted to keep some of the same things that still currently appear on the Gusto menu. okay fine all well and good. except
if you happen to comment on it (like to the bartender for example) they get all irritated and indignant like it’s APPALLING you would even mention it. i mean for fuck’s sake, if that’s the decision you make, i think you’d better get a fucking sense of humor about it…."
The entire comment remains here. (It’s definitely worth a read!)
- App. 5 hours later, a new Forum registrar logged-in as "Brook" responds, "I worked for hair plug muniak and it is going to be a pleasure to see him fail. Proper question on Gusto is why didn’t the new chef change the menu? Obviously Williams will cook what she learned in the 6 years she spent in Italy (only self taught female Italian chef in America) and just like Giorione and Il Buco, Gusto will not be about the food for long."
- Abbe immediately answers "Brook":
oh YEAAAH that’s what i’m talkin bout. i’m like a proud bricklayer right now– this place was built to keep it "real"
YOUR PUBLICIST CANNOT HELP YOU HERE MISS THING
a: name calling, "Brook" ?? yah that’s mature
b: and thanks for making my point. my point WAS:
who gives a shit what Williams cooks where. but WHY get all pissy if the patrons bring it up ?? did you REALLY think NOBODY was going to comment on the fact the menu is similar. get serious
c: AS IF Morandi is about the FOOD. aha ha ha hahah haaa that’s a good one.
d: sorry but Gusto was never about the fucking FOOD either. at least not to me, it wasn’t. and there was a time i was there at least once or twice a week.
i went first for the location. THEN the bar (it’s actually quite nice). THEN i kept going back so often because of artan.
e: yeah i bet you’d love to "see him fail." it’s called ENVY.
why don’t you do us all a favor and try holding your breath.
(**note: Abbe later clarifies, under this very same topic "…need i remind you this entire ‘drama’ was precipitated by a ‘validating member’ named ‘Brook.’ i will not tell you HOW i come to have very strong personal opinions on this matter, but perhaps it would behoove you to inquire, from someone with some technological experience, just how these interweb website forum thingies work exactly," essentially implying she has some behind-the-scenes knowledge regarding the true identity of "Brook.")
- The following day, March 21, 2007 – (the first of several unfavorable Morandi reviews) Steve Cuozzo of The NY Post declares Morandi a dud.
- The very next day, March 22, 2007 – A "dubious" photograph of a grasshopper in a sandwich wrap at Sasha Muniak’s Mangia (on 57th St) appears anonymously in the inbox of eater.com
- The Morandi topic in this Forum progresses, as several commenters begin to imply the grasshopper incident is not a coincidence, having come so closely on the heels of Brook’s pejorative comment.
[**Worth noting: It was eater.com that first "broke the story" of chef Jody Williams leaving Gusto for Morandi establishing at least one prior correspondence between them.]
- Gawker.com "picks up" the item, stressing the similarity in menus between Gusto and Morandi.
- Almost immediately, eater.com attacks Abbe Diaz
The Eater "item" contains several falsehoods and inaccuracies (which are then brilliantly addressed and refuted by a PX This Forum Administrator/"Publicist.")
- The next day, eater.com concedes its misrepresentation–> http://ny.eater.com/archives/2007/03/who_is_abbe_dia.php
- Within the subsequent forum discussions, industry rumors surrounding Morandi, Keith McNally, Jody Williams (and Williams’ apparent friendship with eater.com’s Ben Leventhal) and her former boss, Sasha Muniak, begin to emerge.
It culminates with a Page Six parody, "JUST ASKING….
What tantrum throwing, egomaniacal hotspot chef is so psycho, it’s possible she tried to derail her former boss by resorting to sabotage? One day after the anonymous comment, "…it is going to be a pleasure to see him fail" appeared on an online restaurant industry insider forum, a mysterious, questionable, dubious photograph of an insect in a particular food item sold by said former boss (and current competitor), suddenly showed up at eater.com. What are the odds?"
- The next day, Jody Williams’ live-in girlfriend, Diana, registers for the PX This Forum and replies:
"I can say with 100% certainty that Jody has never been associated with any posting to this site. When Jody was asked by one of her cooks did you put a grasshopper in a Mangia wrap?’ she giggled and asked him what he was talking about. When she decided to leave Gusto, she telephoned Amanda Freitag and asked her if she wanted her job because she respected her as a chef and was friendly with her. In addition, opposed to much of the chatter on this site, she enjoyed working for Sasha Muniak saying on many occasions to me that he was one of the best bosses she ever had (I too like his gentle soul and really had a strong bond with his son Alexei). It appears that a lot of the posts written on this site are from the front of the house staff at Gusto who may have had run-ins with her. Its sad because I know when push comes down to shove she really did like everyone and enjoyed the two years that she spent there. She has been working extremely long hours without a day off in months getting her kitchen up to her standards. I also know that going from a restaurant that does 200 covers a night to close to 400 covers there is a lot of stress in sending out food that meets her standard. Does she yell? What chef doesn’t. Sorry I’m ranting on about this but it really is upsetting to see someone you love and respect be put over the ringer."
- Diaz responds:
hi Diana,
we’ve never met but i have heard of you through our mutual acquaintances, i’ve been told you are kind and sweet and very nice. i understand very much how upsetting it is to see "someone you love and respect" being spoken of in this manner. perhaps maybe now you understand my gut response to the commenter signed in as "Brook." i fully appreciate what you are saying, and am very grateful you took the time, energy, and effort to come here and address this issue.
i hope you appreciate my stance as well, i believe everyone is entitled to their say. i do not know whether this news will be unsettling to you or not, but i can assure you the majority of the commenters in this thread are NOT Gusto FOH staff, as i do happen to know several of the "members" personally, either having met in person, or through extensive correspondence over the last several months (i can’t speak for them ALL, as there are certainly members here whose identities i do not know). you may find this hard to believe, but it’s my experience that it is actually the Gusto staff who is most reluctant to discuss these matters, either here or in person. as i have mentioned, even i no longer dine at Gusto, as i have had personal problems of my own with the FOH staff.
you claim to know with "100% certainty" that chef-williams has no association with any posting here. i respect your conviction, but ask that you extend me the same courtesy when i reply to the contrary– i’m sorry, but it is my belief you are wrong.
as for chef-williams, she is now in the (unfortunate?) situation of being a "celebrity," and i do mean that in the strictest definition of the word. by virtue of her self-imposed foray into the limelight, she is now subject to scrutiny and all the consequences that go along with it. i think everyone that has commented here has been quite fair (unlike eater.com’s initial response), particularly in specifying their opinions are purely speculation and hearsay, and encouraging readers to form their own conclusions. i am VERY PROUD of those who have chosen to comment here, as it is my (vast) personal experience the internet CAN be a daunting and malicious place, often inspiring people to vociferate their worst, secure in their anonymity.
thank you again, and all the best to you and ms. williams.
- Fast forward several months, to a new Forum discussion of the impending opening of Sasha Muniak’s Centro Vinoteca with chef Anne Burrell (located mere blocks from McNally/Williams’ Morandi)
- Again, industry rumors emerge, this time involving Muniak’s offspring, who are, in short, said to be rambunctious, "arrogant", "unappreciative" and far too garrulous, to be good for Centro’s "image" amongst those who are, shall we say, esoterically informed.
- Eater.com jumps all over it, declaring, "Right Under Diaz’s Nose, the Worm Turns on Muniak." (June 28, 2007)
- (Forum Orator Extraordinaire) *Dick Johnson* observes, "LOL. When it comes to us, I think Eater (read: Ben Leventhal) would put a ‘negative spin’ on it, if we all got together and cured cancer."
- July 10, 2007- Eater.com "unveils" Centro Vinoteca
Within the comments section, a reader posts a disdainful remark about Muniak’s family, and signs it "Dick Johnson." A second commenter responds by attacking the PX This Forum, claiming "hating" and "drama" are "predictable" here.
- Immediately, the real *Dick Johnson* of PX This emphatically denies posting that comment. He writes:
"OK, I’m pissed.
I did not write that comment, and I think whoever did, is a ball-less cocksucker.
First of all, I have never hated on Centro or Gusto- I have nothing but the utmost respect and admiration for Abbe’s boyfriend (whatever his name is).
And if I had to guess, I would say a certain jealous, shit-eating chef, had everything to do with signing my "name" to that comment. Why don’t you go feed your fucking pet grasshoppers, you bitch."
- Abbe Diaz forwards that denial to eater.com, but is then accused of being an Abbe Diaz imposter.
- After a slight tumultuous anti-Centro wave descends on the PX This Forum, the rally behind Muniak begins to re-shape after a (cute and happy) member named *Ferret-n-Chicken!* reminds and suggests, "just think about how everybody says Sasha is a really nice guy, and also I know I’m definitely curious to see what that Iron chef chick can do!!!"
- Less than 2 hours later, William’s girlfriend reappears and comments,
"You guys are really a bunch of assholes. I said it before and I’ll say it again, Jody doesn’t read reviews, go on blogs etc. I don’t know why I care but I do. People tell me consider the source with this site but I don’t listen to them. Jody quit Gusto and gave unlimited notice. Jody replaced herself in the kitchen. It took three people to replace her…the chef at gusto, sarah at Mangia and Anne at Centro. (thanks to Mark Latner because he wasn’t interested so he referred Sasha to her). Sorry guys but Morandi is not a failure, Jody could cook when Sasha asked her to stay and she can cook now. Morandi’s front of the house is run better than any establishment that Jody has worked in NYC. And for the last time, Jody is way too busy at Morandi to go online with some bullshit fake name and verbally abuse Gusto/Mangia/Centro. Perhaps Craig was right when he said that the only way that Abbe Diaz can get attention on this blog is to stir up fake controversy. Every f’n subject seems to mention Jody. Seriously, are you insane?
Good thing that Giorgio didn’t get one of his lackies to attack Jody when Sasha lured her away from him.
Simply Unbelievable.
- Diaz responds:
sigh
hi diana
nice to see you again
and again, i will say as well, i welcome your input as i do all others.
i appreciate your anger, as i’m sure i would react strongly (in probably a similar manner), given the circumstances.
but
everyone here is entitled to their opinion too. and if you’ll notice (as i did) not one person has used jody’s name in this thread. i believe that is an act of sincere consideration that proceeded completely unprompted, even by me.
as for my alleged attempts to "get attention" by stirring up "fake controversy"
well. need i remind you this entire "drama" was precipitated by a "validating member" named "Brook." i will not tell you HOW i come to have very strong personal opinions on this matter, but perhaps it would behoove you to inquire, from someone with some technological experience, just how these interweb website forum thingies work exactly.
i am going to leave it at that, because BELIEVE IT OR NOT, this particular subject is starting to become rather tiresome to me as well.
all the best to you and ms.williams
if you have any further questions and/or comments, i am happy to accommodate them.
all i ask is you please refrain as best you can from calling my members "assholes." although i’m sure their skins are rather thick and can withstand whatever animosity you can muster.
oh and by the way
personally, as a rather knowledgeable and vastly experienced former member of the F&B industry, i would have to say i think most of your above assertations are a bunch of bullshit.
but whatever
OH
one other last thing
you can tell craig i said: "wait til i see that mutherfukker"
cuz he wrote me an e-mail recently telling me he sweats me. seriously
so if he is going around talking hypocritical shit about me behind my back
i will totally punch him in the fucking shoulder. HARD.
CAN SOMEBODY PASS THE FUCKING POPCORN OVER HERE NOW geezus christ
- Within minutes, eater.com declares Abbe Diaz is having a "meltdown."
- Fast forward several months to December, 2007. Sasha Muniak receives an e-mail from Jody Williams insisting he "rein in" his girlfriend or suffer the consequences.
- Abbe Diaz is livid. However, she concedes:
… i admit i am making an assumption. is there a possibility that comment COULD have been posted by someone else? of course. there’s always a possibility.
so here is my suggestion, and maybe this will appease everybody involved:
- SOMEONE posted that comment. all the speculations raised by the members here regarding that comment are primarily based on the IP address. well, if i was accused of posting a comment i did not write (that was supossedly written by one of my FANS), i can tell you i would be hell-bent on finding the person who is ruining my reputation by writing that awful snide comment.
- i would take the IP address. i would call the company to which the address is registered. if i happened to discover LO AND BEHOLD that IP address happens to come from the VERY SAME COMPANY in which i work (or used to work maybe? whatever) — ??
- i would find my "colleague," make him/her reveal his/her identity (or i would do it myself) and then i’d probably shake the shit out of that "fan" of mine. then i’d make that colleague publicly apologize to all involved for creating such a goddamned ruckus. i’d probably even call my good pals over at Eater and ask them to help spread the word farther and wider: "I AM INNOCENT."
(hells, i would even bet all the members here would apologize for all their speculations, if proven wrong. quite frankly, i would MAKE THEM APOLOGIZE.)
that’s what i would do.
i got the IP address if anybody wants it. just ask for it.
- To this day, neither Jody Williams nor Diana nor eater.com has made any attempt to acquire the aforementioned IP address, belonging to "Brook." Isn’t that funny?
We still have it, if anybody wants it. Feel free to e-mail us — or wait until the release of PX Me – The Sequel to PX This if you just wanna read about it — coming in the Spring of 2012!
- As predicted by the members of PX This months prior, in August of 2007, Jody Williams signs on as chef/partner of Gottino, (located within the several blocks between Gusto and Morandi).
- As predicted by the members of PX This months prior, in May of 2008, Chef Jody William is unceremoniously dismissed from Morandi.
- The LATEST: As "scooped" by PX This, in September of 2009, Jody Williams is sued by Gottino partner Michael Bull and is subsequently ousted from Gottino in May of 2010.
Grasshopper murder suspect "Brook" remains at large…
**See also (earlier): "[ Jody Willams ] @ Morandi"
*********************************************************************
pxthis.com archives
This is an abbreviated version of the PX This blog entry on July 14, 2007, for archival purposes only. A far more detailed, thorough, and incisive account is to be included in Diaz’s upcoming second book, PX Me – The Sequel to PX This) – Coming Soon in the Spring of 2012
"…The intellectual community, as usual, showed itself to be timid and divided, and even the most unexpected graphologists engaged in controversies regarding their inconsistent analyses of my handwriting. It was they who divided opinions, overheated the polemic, and made nostalgia popular…. Make no mistake: peaceful madmen are ahead of the future." – Gabriel García Márquez
GREATEST HITS: theForum@px.this
PX This hereby presents The Forum’s Greatest Hits, a thread-by-thread archive of the most fascinating discussions from "theForum@px.this" — our online F&B oriented community IP.Board (founded in 2007) made virtually obsolete by the re-launch of theBlahg, pxthis.com, on August 31, 2009.
[theForum@px.this will be fully and permanently dismantled upon the definitive completion of its archive.]
Started: March 16, 2007. 4:37 PM by ) *Dick Johnson* • Closed: September 30, 2010 12:45PM • Archived at 70,294 Views
PRIMARY SUBJECT : Chef Jody Williams‘s defection from Sasha Muniak‘s Gusto Ristorante to Keith McNally‘s Morandi (located several blocks from Gusto).
ADJUNCT SUBJECTS : Sasha Muniak, Keith McNally, eater.com’s Lockhart Steele and Ben Leventhal, former New York Times critic Frank Bruni, New York magazine’s critic Adam Platt, New York Post critic Steve Cuozzo
GIST OF TOPIC : Chef Jody Williams’s brief tenure as Head Chef of Morandi
SIGNIFICANCE: This fascinating discussion thread sets the background for PX This’s famous "The Grasshopper Chronicles" (ohhh, you don’t want to miss that one)! Marvel as the (insightful, sagacious, vastly-experienced-within-the-F&B-industry) members of PX This are denigrated and derided time and again by various NYC food/restaurant journalists/bloggers— only to eventually be proven 100% correct in all their declarations and assertions.
The blatant bias, misconduct, and lack of integrity within the "Food Media" will astound you. The rest of it will have you LOLROTF! Really, we promise.
RATING: ★★★★★
WHAT THE STARS MEAN: Ratings range from zero to five stars and reflect the discussion’s entertainment value, from amusing to hilarious, with edification taken into consideration. Hyperlinks contained within are subject to change.
The archives of theForum@px.this have been edited for the sake of clarity, brevity, and squeakiness. [If you require an original unedited copy of the discussion, please e-mail px.this@gmail.com]
***********************************************
** [UPDATED] See also: The Grasshopper Chronicles (Did Chef Jody Williams try to undermine her former boss by planting a grasshopper in a sandwich wrap?)
For more on this subject, read PX Me – The Sequel to PX This – Coming Soon in the Spring of 2011
• Which (somewhat deluded) renowned restaurant group that recently found itself the target of a class-action wage-dispute lawsuit, is soon to come under fire again? This time the charge is sexual harassment, the details of which are forthcoming shortly. Unfortunately, it could be right around the time the alleged defendant is vacationing with his wife. (Quick, hide the newspapers.)
Well, you know what they say: Misery loves company. Now all they have to do is follow the leader.
• Which TriBeCa saloonkeeper’s recent brush with the law is hampering his liquor license application? Anyone know a good (fast) consulting "chef"?
"Restaurant" Needs Recipe for Crudité, Jell-O. Please Contact ASAP.
• Which West Village commercial landlord is spinning his wheels waiting for the rent check to arrive in the mail? Sorry, buddy— but the restaurant space your tenant recently "closed for renovations" isn’t reopening anytime soon, duh. Your former tenant has already spent all your rent money on his next venture elsewhere.
Greatest Hits: PX This [The Blahg]
Hi! Thank you for your "search"!
This website is currently undergoing changes as it continually progresses, so the entry for which you are seeking has likely been archived within "The Greatest Hits – PX This [The Blahg]". It was removed from its original location in preparation for the upcoming release of PX This Too (The Sequel to PX This). If you would like more information and/or further clarification on this particular narrative, please read PX This – The Revised Edition and/or PX This Too (coming soon).
And so without further ado— by popular (search engine) demand, we proudly present THE GREATEST HITS of PX This [The Blahg]
[*** warning: Eats, Shoots and Ladders Leaves freaks, please CLICK HERE* and HERE before reading any further. then take that favorite book of yours and stick it up your ass. thank you! ***]
"PX This Mercer Lobby Screaming"
TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 2005. 11:38AM
omygawd i got thrown out of theMercerHotel yesterday!
aha hah hahaa aah
oh okay that’s not ENTIRELY true. actually i left quietly of my own accord— because i am more than sufficiently aware lois-freedman (director of operations for jean-georges restaurants) doesn’t even HAVE the fucking authority to kick me out of theMercerHotel.
yah so anyways it was a real scene oh you should have been there— the best part was when lois-freedman started screaming at marc-bagutta at the top of her lungs "GET YOUR GIRLFRIEND OOOUT OF HEEERE! I’LL CALL THE COPPPS! IF JEAN-GEORGES WAS HERE, HE WOULD THROW HER OUTTT PERSSSONALLY!" i swear i thought her head was going to start spinning all around like that demonically possessed chick in that spooky exorcist movie.
and there were lots of other peoples (like dean-winters for example) sitting in the hotel lobby too trying to quietly enjoy their wine and tea and whatnot so they got some free entertainment. oh! i am sooo BUMMED i didn’t have any pxthis business cards on me to pass around like "thank yooou, we’ll be here all week."
by the way if you’re wondering why in the world lois-freedman would suddenly just bust out with her bestest impersonation of large-marge the lady truckdriver in Peewee Herman’s Big Adventure— alls i can say is: hmm. beats me!
so then anyways today we called ABhotels corporate office trying to understand why we are supposedly "NOT WELCOME EVVVERRR!"
they were very surprised to hear the news and so sweet saying this is not the case at all since we are such good and frequent patrons of theRaleigh in miami (and plus cuz we’re so faboolous) we are welcome "ANYTIME… ANYWHERE…" they even offered to send me a written apology.
yay!
[they also said something along the lines of "lois who..?" but oh never mind.]
anyhoo. oh yah so that same day after we’d left MercerHotel my pal "bunny"kim (who also used to work for jean-georges) and i went over to CiprianiDowntown to have some bellinis, because the poor thing needed a drink since she was so suddenly and unexpectedly subjected to lois-freedman’s freaky ballistic apeshit episode—
and hee eheee it was great, when we recounted to everybody what just occurred in theMercerHotel lobby, they were so amused and felt so sorry for us they comped our drinks and sent an entire meal from the kitchen too.
then afterward since we were in the area, we decided to pop into Kittichai around the corner.
and it was great, it just so happens dwayne-collins who also used to work with us for jean-georges is now the general manager of Kittichai. so when we recounted to everybody what just occurred in theMercerHotel lobby, they were so amused and felt so sorry for us they comped our drinks and sent an entire meal from the kitchen too.
and right then chef cedric-tovar happened to walk in, and it was great, when we recounted to him what just occurred in theMercerHotel lobby, he was so amused and felt so sorry for us he invited us over to Django (so he could comp our drinks and send an entire meal from the kitchen too).
geezus if we had kept going, we probably could have eaten for free all week long all over downtown NYC! ha ahaah
… but we were totally stuffed and couldn’t handle any more food so instead we decided to head over to Butter to check out the new monday night party thingie by richie-akiva & scott-sartiano & ronnie-madra.
it was really bunny-kim who wanted to go, so i was kinda totally prepared to despise every last minute of the experience. but actually, it wasn’t bad!
and i saw liev-schreiber & drea-dematteo & andre-harrell & sean-lennon & vincent-gallo & (of course) the olsen-twins. and that was just in the mere 40 minutes we stayed, a whole mess of other faboolous peoples were pouring in just as we were trying to get the fuck out. maybe i’m just too old fer that shit…
pxthis.com archives
This is an abbreviated version of Abbe Diaz’s diary/blog entry on February 22, 2005, for archival purposes only. A far more detailed, thorough, and incisive account is to be included in Diaz’s upcoming second book, PX This Too (The Sequel to PX This) – Coming in the Autumn of 2010
* "…The intellectual community, as usual, showed itself to be timid and divided, and even the most unexpected graphologists engaged in controversies regarding their inconsistent analyses of my handwriting. It was they who divided opinions, overheated the polemic, and made nostalgia popular…. Make no mistake: peaceful madmen are ahead of the future." – Gabriel García Márquez
MY rant.
Hey, did you see this? It’s Steve Cuozzo "ranting" about how no "good restaurants" opened in 2010. And then Keith McNally "ranted" in retaliatio… zzzzZZZzzzzzzzZZZzzz…
Huh, wha–? Sorry, I dozed off for a second there. Oh yeah, I was just about to rant my rant in retaliation to those two ranty rants. Why, you ask? Good question— seeing as DUH– nobody gives a fucking rat’s ass about anybody’s stupid, self-important, self-indulgent, sophmoric, idiotic fucking rant.
But hey, I’m just gonna throw my two cents out there, ‘cuozz— well, why not? It’s the internet age! That’s just how we roll. CLEARLY, any two-bit douchebag dipshit with a keyboard and a free Starbucks WiFi connection can pontificate superfluously about whatever the hell they please. And today, FINALLY, is my turn. Hooray!
Firstly, to Steve Cuozzo. Shut the hell up, you clueless, ignorant, obnoxious, pompous, obsequious, slimy TOOL SHED. Oh my Lord, reading your articles (on those very very very rare occasions which I do) makes me want to put a gun to my head, realizing that you actually still have a job as a journalist, because there genuinely remains a substantial contingent of morons out there who buy into your dim-witted drivel.
Not that I give a damn about a single thing or person you mentioned, but did you seriously just criticize certain chefs and restaurateurs for being in too many places at once, while extolling the virtues of not one, but two Jean-Georges restaurants that he opened within weeks of each other while simultaneously overseeing multiple outlets all over the world? Do you not see how hypocritical and downright laughable you sound?
Also, as a looongtime laborer within the NYC Food & Beverage industry, I can inform you (yeah, that’s right— you’re so ignorant you probably have yet to apprehend this) the fine dining industry in NYC for the most part, HATES NY POST-READING DINERS. Ask anybody. A bad review from the NY Post is like a gift from heaven; if it keeps out the arrogant, unsophisticated, self-entitled jerkoffs who read the NY Post, then Hallelujah! That’s half the bane of running a restaurant in NYC extinguished right there.
Pssst, Cuozzo. Oh, if you could only be "on the inside," as I am, and could hear the things that are said about you and your ilk, by the very same people who run to shake your hand upon your arrival. You’d probably be so traumatized, you’d need lithium for life. Do yourself a favor and "retire" to go write your great American novel already, could you? You make us sick, you freak.
Next, to Keith McNally. Oh, for fuck’s sake. Really? Don’t you have anything better to fucking do? Shouldn’t you be out scavenging distressed mirrors and wall tiles for the inevitable Chinese next-incarnation of your "genius-brilliance" or something? As a person who once used to work for you (Yeah, that’s right. Boo!) I can assure you that Frank Bruni got at least ONE thing right in his entire ill-conceived food-writing career, and that’s: You are not a nice man.
Your greatest skill is comprised wholly of your astoundingly systematic ass-kissing of those you deem worthy. Your second greatest skill is merely the fact that you’re only about half as maniacal as your loopy, rampageous brother. And the notion that you think these asinine indignant blusterings of yours are actually beneficial to your business as a whole is mind-blowing. Newsflash, idiot: The reason Pulino’s sucks such a fat dick is because you brought that cheezy icky clientele of yours to yourself.
Ha ha hah— go on now, Keith, run along and pen some other retaliatory unctuous rant e-mail that panders to those pizza-loving clowns. Just remember before you waste your energy— it’s still not going to bring Anna and Sir Anthony Hopkins looking for a banquette in that shithole.
Yours Truly and Sincerely,
*Dick Johnson*
Uh oh:
"A former cook at celeb chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten‘s JoJo Restaurant said she had to endure heaping helpings of sexual harassment… Arlene Keith says she went to work as a meat cook… and was subjected to vile, sexually explicit remarks and advances by another cook… When the alleged victim complained to her boss, he began being abusive to her as well, the lawsuit says…
Vongerichten, named as a defendant but not accused of any harassment, called the suit ‘frivolous.’" [The NY Post]
Hmm.
Well, the last time the Jean Georges organization faced a "frivolous" (or whatever) lawsuit, it cost them $1.75M. (We’re just sayin’.)
I mean, sure, $1.75M may seem like a lot of money to you, but that’s just like spare change or ‘tip money’ to them. Thanks for all your concern sending this news to us and everything, but fret not— apparently, they can afford it!
P.S. Oh yeah, see the "UPDATE" in the title up there? Well, that’s how you do an update, you fucking scumbags.
**See also (earlier):
• Jean Georges Enterprises – Shit, meet Fan. Fan, meet Shit. [Part 1 and Part 2]
• “Mercer… Lobby… Screaming” starring Lois Freedman
For more on this story, read PX This – The Revised Edition [and PX This Too (Coming Soon in the Autumn of 2010)]
GREATEST HITS: theForum@px.this
PX This hereby presents The Forum’s Greatest Hits, a thread-by-thread archive of the most fascinating discussions from "theForum@px.this" — our online F&B oriented community IP.Board (founded in 2007) made virtually obsolete by the re-launch of theBlahg, pxthis.com, on August 31, 2009.
[theForum@px.this will be fully and permanently dismantled upon the definitive completion of its archive.]
Jean Georges Enterprises: Shit, meet Fan. Fan, Meet Shit [Part 2]:
Started: July 27, 2007. 11:50AM by *MoneyMan* • Closed: August 5, 2010 11:17AM • Archived at 40,980 Views
… CONTINUED from Jean Georges Enterprises: Shit, meet Fan. Fan, meet Shit. [Part 1]
PRIMARY SUBJECT : Jean-Georges Enterprises LLC
ADJUNCT SUBJECTS : Jean-Georges Vongerichten, Director of Operations Lois Freedman, Attorney Caroline Richmond, Starwood Capital, W Hotels, Spice Market
GIST OF TOPIC : "Famed N.Y. Chef Sued for Skimpy Wages…" etc.
SIGNIFICANCE: When we last visited this topic, New York magazine was pulling the figurative foot out its mouth and Jean-Georges Enterprises was pulling the figurative foot out its ass.
The discussion continues to speculate on subsequent events, most notably the irrationality of Jean-Georges Enterprsises official release of some kind of half-assed statement admitting to "no wrongdoing."
Ha ha ahaa OK, did you catch that? The company was sued three times for essentially the same offense against the laws set forth by Department of Labor, but they, despite settling the suits in a cumulative amount totalling somewhere in the millions of dollars, "admit to no wrongdoing."
Oh, but it starts to get really good when evidently, some attorney named Caroline Richmond implies the workers of the industry from whom their wages were stolen should drop their lawsuits attempting to get their rightfully earned money back, because this really awful economy will force all those poor poor multimillion dollar restaurants to close down, and then all these workers will lose their jobs anyway. Behold!:
"All these people that have stolen from the employees all live in multi-million dollar homes, and now they want to bitch about how getting sued over money that they had no right to take in the first place is going to hurt their businesses? Boo hoo hoo.
These assholes never gave a shit that FOH’ers were living in tiny shoeboxes with roommates all this time. I’m pretty sure that in these ‘uncertain economic times’ that these people need the $3300 more than you do, you greedy fucking bitch….
Not to mention the fact that if it had been in reverse, and an FOH’er had been caught stealing money from the house, that person would have been fired on the spot. But her argument is that the FOH should shut up and stop upholding the laws, because they’ll lose their jobs…
The workers are suing to get money that they earned, back. The owners never had a right to that money in the first place. So if anyone should be giving up anything in these ‘uncertain economic times,’ it’s the lawyers that should be giving up their fees, if they’re so worried about these businesses failing."
Told ya! We "strange, strange world"— we so smart. We even make lawyers look like jackasses!
Especially when the discussion thread progresses over several months to eventually reveal how all these poor poor restaurants that can barely afford to stay in business after giving all the money they don’t admit to stealing back to the workers— are opening new multiple ventures. All over the world.
With earnings estimated at somewhere near the "$100M" mark. <— By the way, you’ll recall we only know that amount because it comes to us via this gem: "While JG marches his way to $100M, you’ll still be standing there holding your tired basket of gripes and getting old."
Ooooh, so right. Look, here we are! Just holding our basket.
RATING: ★★★★★
WHAT THE STARS MEAN: Ratings range from zero to five stars and reflect the discussion’s entertainment value, from amusing to hilarious, with edification taken into consideration. Hyperlinks contained within are subject to change.
The archives of theForum@px.this have been edited for the sake of clarity, brevity, and squeakiness. [If you require an original unedited copy of the discussion, please e-mail px.this@gmail.com]
***********************************************
** See also :
• Jean Georges Enterprises… [UPDATE] <--- Verrry interesting discussion going on in the comments section here!
• Jean Georges Enterprises: Shit, meet Fan. Fan, meet Shit. [Part 1]
• GrubStreet (& Gridskipper): Ignorant (& Stupid)
• “Mercer… Lobby… Screaming” starring Lois Freedman
For more on this subject, read PX Me – The Sequel to PX This – Coming Soon in the Spring of 2012
GREATEST HITS: theForum@px.this
PX This hereby presents The Forum’s Greatest Hits, a thread-by-thread archive of the most fascinating discussions from "theForum@px.this" — our online F&B oriented community IP.Board (founded in 2007) made virtually obsolete by the re-launch of theBlahg, pxthis.com, on August 31, 2009.
[theForum@px.this will be fully and permanently dismantled upon the definitive completion of its archive.]
Jean Georges Enterprises: Shit, meet Fan. Fan, Meet Shit [Part I]:
Started: July 27, 2007. 11:50AM by *MoneyMan* • Closed: August 5, 2010 11:17AM • Archived at 40,980 Views
PRIMARY SUBJECT : Jean-Georges Enterprises LLC
ADJUNCT SUBJECTS : Jean-Georges Vongerichten, Director of Operations Lois Freedman, Jay McInerney, Herve Descottes, Starwood Capital, Catterton Partners, W Hotels, Spice Market
GIST OF TOPIC : "Famed N.Y. Chef Sued for Skimpy Wages…"
SIGNIFICANCE: In 2004 Abbe Diaz publishes (the original) PX This, chronicling four years of her employment in the NYC Food & Beverage Industry. Not long afterward, Jay McInerney pens a "sycophantic five-page article" in New York magazine rhapsodizing about Jean-Georges Vongerichten and refuting several key issues raised in PX This, without ever actually mentioning PX This. Hysterical. (No, really— the apparent attempt at "damage control" is so camp, if you read PX This and then read the article, you’ll totally LOL! and squirt like coffee out your nose or whatever.)
Soon after, the NY Post reports: "Restaurateur Jean-Georges Vongerichten is so annoyed by the success of his former Maitre D’ Abbe Diaz’s new tell-all book, he is forcing his employees to sign confidentiality agreements. They were also banned from discussing [the book] at work." Huh! Weird, right? Kinda makes you wonder what’s in that thing, doesn’t it?
Fast forward a little while later, and Abbe Diaz just happens to get thrown out of Jean Georges restaurant. Riveting!
Then another "sycophantic" item suddenly appears in New York magazine, comparing Abbe Diaz’s writing to "text messages tapped out by the jittery, manicured thumbnails of an ex-model at Rose Bar at 4 a.m." whatever the hell that means. Also, there’s something about the workers of the NYC Fine Dining Food & Beverage Industry being a "strange, strange world." Imagine that.
Hilariously, subsequently New York magazine is then compelled to report that Jean-Georges Vongerichten and his restaurant group have agreed to settle a class-action lawsuit filed by employees of eight of his eateries for the misappropriation of tip wages earned by staff— to the tune of $1.75 million.
In any case, all of that is discussed herein— by a bunch of people who seemingly used to work for Jean-Georges, duh. Oh, plus there’s some really fascinating big money corporate Gordon Gekko kind of talk, if you’re into that sort of thing. Ooooh, we "strange strange world." We so smart.
The discussion gets so long and elaborate, we had to split it into two parts. Part 2 forthcoming…
RATING: ★★★★★
WHAT THE STARS MEAN: Ratings range from zero to five stars and reflect the discussion’s entertainment value, from amusing to hilarious, with edification taken into consideration. Hyperlinks contained within are subject to change.
The archives of theForum@px.this have been edited for the sake of clarity, brevity, and squeakiness. [If you require an original unedited copy of the discussion, please e-mail px.this@gmail.com]
***********************************************
** See also :
• Jean Georges Enterprises… [UPDATE] <--- Verrry interesting discussion going on in the comments section here!
• GrubStreet (& Gridskipper): Ignorant (& Stupid)
• Jean Georges Enterprises: Shit, meet Fan. Fan, meet Shit [Part2]
• “Mercer… Lobby… Screaming” starring Lois Freedman
For more on this subject, read PX Me – The Sequel to PX This – Coming Soon in the Spring of 2012
There seems to be a bit of controversy lately over our recent recommendation of La Esquina as the place at "the top of [the] list" to dine as a "hip and savvy local," should one happen to have a single night’s visit to NYC. It seems that the latest "changes" at La Esquina may not exactly be for the best (despite The NY Post’s rumination / elaboration-of-our-story over the speculative liability of "former" partner Serge Becker‘s “incorrectly reported” involvement).
Whew! That was a mouthful!
In any case, while we ponder the significance of the ongoing developments at La Esquina and the prospect of updating our suggestions, might I suggest you watch Antoine Fuqua‘s Brooklyn’s Finest. Sure, the plot may be a little tedious and slightly convoluted, but who wouldn’t want to behold La Esquina in all its fictional fabulosity? (Also, Wass Stevens is in it.)
Yeah, that’s the ticket.
• Which "scoop" are we dying to disclose, but our Head Editor won’t let us (lest it alter the course of destiny)? Well, we’ll just sit back and wait for the story to play itself out. If history is any indication, it should be soon— and quite entertaining.
• Which law-breaking restaurateur is currently talking out of his ass? In a very thinly-veiled attempt at saving face (and business), he’s underplaying the severity of his organization’s latest situation. The simple, basic (and legal) truth is: they have far, far, far less options than they publicly assert. Despite ample precedents (and the law), some people never learn. But they soon will! The hard way.
• Which well-known restaurateur was so burned by a past endeavor, he’s currently "slave-driving" his newest chef? In spite of the chef’s resentment, however, relations remain ostensibly congenial. The chef isn’t willing to lose face any more than the restaurateur; job offers are slim out there. Just ask the predecessor.
Question from the inbox: "Would you classify this as an "F&F"?
Answer: Sometimes!
No OK, seriously though— that may not be an "F&F," but it sure is an LOL!
We present it here "entirely for purposes of education": Remember, if you’re a hungry, belligerent, idiotic dumbass, keep on walking and get your burrito someplace else, lest you get smacked upside your stupid head with an aluminum folding chair.
[Blockheads. Oh, the irony.]
= "personne extraordinaire"