EXCLUSIVE: Robert De Niro’s star-studded restaurant Nobu hits back at hostess suing for sexual harassment, saying she ‘acquiesced’ when manager ‘repeatedly touched her buttocks’
A restaurant hostess who is suing Robert De Niro’s famed hotspot Nobu, alleging sexual harassment of staff and customers, has only herself to blame, lawyers for the famed sushi restaurant hit back over the weekend.
In her lawsuit, the 23-year-old woman, identified only as Jane Doe, alleged that she and other female staffers were forced to “wear skimpy clothing and reject unwanted sexual advances from managers and customers.”
She also claimed that she was repeatedly touched by a manager named “Marcus” while at work.
But in new documents obtained by DailyMail.com, the restaurant’s legal team hit back, claiming that the hostess “by her conduct condoned, authorized, consented to, acquiesced in, caused, or ratified the conduct alleged in the complaint, to the extent such behavior has occurred.’-
Luxury sushi restaurant Nobu Malibu has responded to a lawsuit filed by one of its hostesses, accusing the establishment of perpetuating a culture of sexual harassment.
Nobu was founded in 1994 by chef Nobu Matsuhisa (right), two-time Oscar winner Robert De Niro and film producer Meir Teper.
The restaurant is a well-known celebrity hotspot in the Los Angeles area, attracting the likes of Kris Jenner and other members of the Kardashian clan, Bradley Cooper, Drake, Selna Gomez and dozens of other A-listers.
The woman, who first filed her suit in September, is seeking $500,000 in damages.
A second female Nobu employee – Jane Doe 2 – has also since sued the restaurant with similar claims, also demanding half a million dollars.
Nobu – partly owned by movie star Robert De Niro – is now demanding that Jane Doe’s first case be dismissed and that the hostess pay the restaurant’s legal bills, plus damages.
De Niro himself recently became embroiled in his own legal troubles after being successfully sued by his former assistant for gender discrimination and sexual harassment.
His company Canal Pictures was ordered to pay Graham Chase Robinson $1.2 million after she alleged he repeatedly labeled her a “bitch” and asked her for back pain, behavior she labeled “creepy.”
In their response to Jane Doe 1’s lawsuit, Nobu’s attorneys Kevin Wattles and Rachel Marko say the restaurant “generally denies all of its allegations” and says it is not liable for damages.
The legal team maintained that her claims are “barred by statutes of limitations and” her own actions and fate… and by “her own breach of duty.”
“Plaintiff has waived any right to compensation under the complaint based on her own conduct,” the lawyers write.
The attorneys also vehemently denied that Nobu was responsible for any bad or illegal conduct by any of its employees toward Jane Doe 1.
‘Any illegal or other wrongful acts attributed to any person(s) employed by (Nobu) were outside the course and scope of the employee’s employment and were not authorized, sanctioned or tolerated by (Nobu) , nor did (Nobu) know or have reason to know of such alleged conduct,” she added.
Kevin Hart and Ne-Yo attend a party at Nobu Malibu in July 2022
Kim Kardashian, Kylie Jenner, Khloe Kardashian and Jen Garcia Allen at Nobu in 2015
The woman’s lawyers claimed that unwanted touching was common among the hostesses – something that other high-ups at the luxury restaurant were aware of.
According to the woman’s lawyer, Bernard Alexander, the restaurant’s hostesses are constantly exposed to unwanted advances as part of their work.
At one point, while working at the restaurant, the manager identified himself as Marcus “repeatedly touched her buttocks with his hand while she was working.”
In a press release, Alexander explained that unwanted touching was a common occurrence among the hostesses – and that other high-ups at the luxury restaurant were aware of it.
“On one occasion, the manager restrained both of her hands and kissed her neck after drinking,” the law firm’s release said.
Marcus was eventually fired after other managers were made aware of the alleged extent of his behavior, but that wasn’t enough for the traumatized hostesses.
“He was allowed to return to the restaurant as a customer, forcing hostesses who had complained about his behavior to work for fear of encountering him,” attorney Alexander wrote.
The lawyer claims that the situation was not only “intimidating” in nature, but also gendered, as male employees did not receive the same treatment.
Jane Doe 1, an aspiring actor, didn’t feel she could leave her role, which provided her with a “steady paycheck” and access to “entertainment industry captains.”
Chef Nobu Matsuhisa, who the restaurant chain is named after at the Malibu location
In their latest filing, Nobu’s attorneys denied all allegations in Jane Doe 1’s complaint
The lawsuit called the job an “otherwise desirable role.”
In his release, Alexander also called out Hollywood stars who frequent and support the restaurant.
“It is a frustrating irony that Nobu is catering to a Hollywood client list that routinely singles out and cancels contemporaries who exhibit the same kind of misogynistic and exploitative behavior that Nobu’s managers seem to encourage,” Alexander wrote.
He added that Jane Doe and other female employees’ access to the “captains of the entertainment industry” felt forced to remain silent for the sake of their jobs.
Nobu was founded in 1994 by chef Nobu Matsuhisa together with De Niro and film producer Meir Teper.
As of 2023, there are more than 50 Nobu restaurants around the world.