Boston chef Barbara Lynch accused of workplace abuse

Chef Barbara Lynch has long been the darling of the Boston restaurant scene. Her rags-to-riches story was chronicled in a 2017 memoir that recounts her rise from a hard-knocks South Boston childhood to culinary stardom. Now the James Beard Award-winning chef is facing criticism for alleged abuse and harassment at her restaurants (gift link; no account required).

The New York Times’ Julia Moskin reports that some of Lynch’s employees told her that the chef has verbally and even physically harassed workers for years. They describe an environment of alcohol-fueled outbursts, retaliatory, on-the-spot firing of employees who dared question her, along with unwanted propositions and touching. Lynch denies the reports, but does acknowledge that she is “a creature of the alcohol-steeped hospitality and restaurant industry.”

Things came to a head earlier this year when Lynch called a staff meeting at her restaurant Menton, where she broke the news to employees that a coworker had died of an overdose. This news came less than two months after executive chef Rye Crofter died of fentanyl overdose. Employees were looking for support but instead encountered an expletive-laced tirade that one employee recorded and shared with the NYT. When one of the remaining chefs pointed out to Lynch that she hadn’t even visited the restaurant following Crofter’s death, she fired him on the spot.

In a statement, Lynch said “I expressly reject the various false accusations lodged against me that I have behaved inappropriately with employees or crossed professional guideposts that are important to me.” She described the claims as “fantastical.” Former staff members contradicted Lynch’s denial, noting that staff turnover was a constant problem, due in large part to the chef’s volatility and outbursts.