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The Employment Relations Authority has issued a decision on a case taken by highly rated former Hippopotamus Restaurant chef Laurent Loudeac
A stoush in Wellington's hospitality sector soured to the point a restaurateur accused a high profile chef of "playing games" with him and using a burn injury as an excuse not to come to work
The Employment Relations Authority (ERA) has issued a decision on a case taken by highly rated former Hippopotamus Restaurant chef Laurent Loudeac
He argued he was unjustifiably dismissed by John David
who is the owner-manager of Eat restaurant
The ERA agreed Loudeac was unjustifiably dismissed and suffered significant loss as a result
But it ruled that David's company was actually Loudeac's employer
so any liability for his actions would need to be taken through David's 2018 Holdings Limited
The decision said that in May 2018 David was looking at buying the then Felix Cafe and was in discussions about entering a joint venture with Loudeac to open Eat at the site
The parties kept in touch to thrash out matters like the kitchen budget
and a proposal Loudeac would get 30 per cent of the profit
By August Loudeac had resigned from Hippopotamus on the basis Eat would be opening in September
But Loudeac said he was interviewing for kitchen staff with no plan on paper about the restaurant
A week before opening no supplier account was set up and pre-launch dinner ingredients were charged to his separate business account
Loudeac purchased plates for the restaurant with his own credit card thinking he would be reimbursed later
The restaurant opened as planned although not everything was ready and no employment or partnership agreement had been drawn up
Loudeac felt there was a lack or organisation and that David micromanaged everything
That November Loudeac burnt his hand while at work and took the day off to recover
David said he felt Loudeac was playing games with him and the injury was being used as an excuse not to come into work
At the beginning of December 2018 Loudeac received a draft partnership agreement but there were aspects he disagreed with
A meeting between them followed where David advised matters were taking too long and he no longer wanted to enter into a partnership agreement
An employment agreement was however finally produced
but by this stage Loudeac's health was suffering
He had been diagnosed with stress and anxiety and was given a medical certificate for a week off
but hadn't wanted to take the leave because he thought David would react badly
Loudeac's wife sent through the medical certificate advising he would not be at work
The next day David texted saying: "I have given you the employment agreement and want that back as soon as possible
If not before Monday consider yourself fired."
A follow up text message from David then said: "As you have not communicated with me any sooner
you jeopardised the business and have put pressure on everyone
you are no longer required to work here any longer."
Loudeac then received a letter confirming the dismissal
which were never previously raised with him nor was he given the opportunity to respond to them
and was not interested in making the arrangement work
Receiving the text messages whilst on sick leave hit Loudeac hard and he found the letter "soul destroying"
ERA member Geoff O'Sullivan said Loudeac's evidence of this effect was compelling
He said criticism levelled against Loudeac were not soundly based and were not conclusions an employer acting reasonably could reach
An award of damages against Loudeac's employer would have been significant had the company been party to ERA proceedings
O'Sullivan said evidence clearly showed David's company was the employer and not him personally
The trial system sits 10-15 metres below the surface
William Gell notes the Fort Anne and the Tower of Refuge as being associated with Sir William Hillary
then goes on to lament his neglected grave and the lack of honour to his name
particularly with the bicentenary of the RNLI in 2024 with its constant references to the work of Hillary
We finish off the Manx translation of a story from the collection of the Brothers Grimm
about Hans in Luck who considers himself to be very fortunate
though having served his master well and faithfully for seven years and been given a great lump of gold as big as his head for his efforts
he arrives home without anything whatsoever
MARTHA WOODS - Delyow sevi/Hard rock miner
LAMOND GILLESPIE & REG HALL - The battle of Aughrim
THE KELLY FAMILY - Mary Brennan's/The Humours of Tullycrine/Mickey Callaghan's
Leave your concerns about prison tourism at the door
the Wellington on a Plate event 'Prison Gate to Plate' is an amazing experience to see restorative justice in action and to support the skill and talent that lies inside Rimutaka Prison
Laurent Loudeac from Hippopotamus Restaurant and Glen Taylor from Zibibbo have been mentoring a group of prisoners as part of the prison's work-to-release program
the prisoner's are ready to serve up a range of amazing canapes and a three-course meal to those lucky enough to attend
The evening promises to be a wonderful experience for guests and prisoners alike - and showcases the positive influence that support and education can have in our prisons
This is one Wellington on a Plate event that is
The agency confirmed that tonnes of beef mince distributed to charities in France did not contain enough meat to qualify as beef mince
The associations using the supplier include the Red Cross
and the French federation of food banks (Fédération française des banques alimentaires)
The beef mince distributed by the supplier was of 'exceptionally poor quality' and contained excessive amounts of fat
The 1,500 samples taken by the anti-fraud agency showed the mince contained too little beef to be labelled minced meat
the French paper Libération revealed that one of the suppliers involved in the scandal
belongs to a businessman called Valéry Le Helloco from Loudéac
it appears Helloco owns 499 of the business's 500 social shares via a holding based in Luxembourg named Financière VLH
Helloco has been at the helm of the business since 2017 and in that time has only changed the business's address from Jersey to Lisbon
Helloco claimed €154,000 in dividends whilst the business's profits lay at €114,000
This man with the power to bind the company with only his signature also heads another food business: Clézio Industrie
a turkey slaughter and processing business
The Libération also revealed that Helloco owned 25% the capital of Viktoria Invest through his various holdings (including VLH)
Viktoria Invest operates in the domains of real estate
It appears that the Luxembourg holding is consequently at the centre of this fake beef mince scandal
If you're the type with Champagne wishes and caviar dreams
then eating at Hippopotamus is the thing for you
Celebrating fine dining and supreme elegance
this is one of Wellington's swishiest joints
With commanding views over Chaffer's Wharf and the marina
Hippopotamus has one of the finest views in the capital
with a selection of the Museum Hotel's art works on show amid the stuffed peacocks and highly polished glass
all that would mean nothing without the food to back it up
and chef Laurent Loudeac delivers with a bold
elegant menu of classic French cuisine enhance by a few Kiwi accents to capture the local flavours
is a daunting pile of food delivered with a hearty "good luck" from the waiting staff
 While dinner options rage from Loudeac's degustation menus (a range of three options) to a quintessential French pastorale parfait of goodness
 Try the creamy foie de canard (duck pate) followed by Moroccan lamb with cous cous
or truffle (naturellement!) fried polenta followed by braised fennel with Milanese risotto
 Finish the experience off with a selection from the dessert menu - there's always room for banana mousse or bergamot ice cream
Hippopotamus is all about being hospitable
so there is a private dining room that looks like it was decorated by Versace for special occasions
 The restaurant hosts divine breakfasts from 6.30 till 10.30
lunch from 12 till 2 and genteel high teas from Wednesday to Sunday