Challenging celebrity chef doubles down on his controversial decision to ban vegans and reveals his posh restaurant has never been busier: ‘If you come after me, you’ll get the wrath’
- John Mountain doubles down on its vegan ban
- Ban came after a vegan left a one star review
- The review also focused on his abilities as a chef
- Mr Mountain says business has been booming since the ban
A polarizing celebrity chef has doubled down on his decision to ban vegans from his restaurant, saying the move has given his business a huge boost.
UK-born chef John Mountain decided to stop catering to consumers after an angry woman posted several one-star reviews on his page following a bad experience.
His decision caused an uproar online with notorious vegan activist Tash Peterson leading calls to stage a protest at his Fyre restaurant in Connolly in north Perth.
Mr. Mountain told The Project on Wednesday night that his decision was simple, like you come to him and his business he will come to you.
“I have nothing against anyone except those who want to harm my business,” he said.
UK-born celebrity chef John Mountain (pictured) has doubled down on his vegan ban, saying his business is doing better than ever since the move
The controversy started after a vegan restaurant left a one-star review discussing his “shortcomings as a chef.” He took this personally, which led him to ban them all via Facebook (pictured)
“I don’t care if you’re green, yellow, or orange, you could be Mexican, I don’t give monkeys.”
“If you try to harm my business, you come after me, you will have the wrath of Johnny Chuffin Mountain against you.”
The celebrity chef also cheekily noted that he always knows when he’s had a vegan in his restaurant, as they make it known.
“You always know when you have a vegan in your restaurant because they will tell you 17 times they are vegan before they even set foot in your building,” he said.
He also beamed about how his decision has resulted in his company doing better than ever.
“It worked out ridiculously well… I usually host half a dozen people at this wonderful restaurant. I booked 35 for dinner (on a Wednesday night),” he said.
“Thank you very much for you vegans, I can now buy a new farm and take good care of my animals.”
Mr. Mountain said his decision was simple, like you come to him and his business he will come to you (Photo: Mr. Mountain’s Fyre restaurant)
Notorious vegan activist Tash Peterson (pictured) and others online suggested they might organize a protest at his Fyre restaurant in Connolly in north Perth
The controversy all stemmed from a vegan diner leaving a one-star review discussing his “shortcomings as a chef.”
Mr. Mountain took the comment personally and it led to him banning anyone identifying as vegan through Facebook.
“Unfortunately, all vegans have now been banned from Fyre for mental health reasons. We thank you for your understanding. xx,” he wrote on Tuesday.
Following his comments vegan activist Mrs. Peterson, who is known to play stage protests in diners rather, said the chief was guilty and insecure.
“He’s obviously quite triggered by veganism and I think it might be a defense mechanism for his own guilt,” she told 7News.
The woman who wrote the scathing review emailed the restaurant first several weeks before.
She stated in capital letters that she was VEGAN and her favorite foods were gnocchi and risotto.
The meal she got was a $32 vegetable dish that her review described as “ok but not that filling.”
“I think it’s incredibly important these days that restaurants can accommodate everyone and that not being able to have real plant-based meals shows your shortcomings as a chef,” read the controversial review from the aggrieved restaurant.
Mr Mountain has lived in Australia for seven years after coming from Britain where he was a celebrity chef who shared an agent with kitchen superstar Jamie Oliver.
He has starred in cooking shows Great British Menu and Chef Race UK v US.
He has also worked with culinary pioneers Heston Blumenthal at the original famed Fat Duck restaurant in Berkshire, England, as well as brash Michelin three-star Marco Pierre White at London’s Mayfair.