'Top Chef' Star Brittanny Anderson's Restaurant In Hot Water After Allegedly Canceling Christian Group's Reservations
Dec. 7 2022, Published 6:30 p.m. ET
A former Top Chef contestant is in hot water after a mishap at one of the restaurants she co-owns. Chef Brittanny Anderson came under fire after her Virginia restaurant allegedly canceled reservations made by a Christian group, RadarOnline.com has learned.
The alleged religious discrimination occurred at Metzger Bar and Butchery in Richmond, Virginia. Metzger's staff cited being "uncomfortable" with the reservation, adding they felt "unsafe" with the group's presence at the restaurant.
The reservations were made by The Family Foundation. According to their website, the group promoted itself as a "nonprofit, nonpartisan, faith-based organization" that is dedicated to "preserve and promote the family in Virginia as God's foundation."
After the former Top Chef and Chopped contestant's staff allegedly canceled the reservation, The Family Foundation called them out, claiming the last-minute decision was a "double standard of the left."
The Christian group's president, Victoria Cobb, addressed the controversial dinner cancelation in a blog post made to the nonprofit's website.
Titled We've Been Canceled! Again, Cobb addressed the reservation mishap and also used the post to ask a bigger question about why Metzger's staff felt "uncomfortable" and "unsafe."
Cobb claimed the German-themed restaurant "refused to service our pre-reserved event, leaving us scrambling just moments before."
The nonprofit's president described the purpose of the reservation as a "gathering of supporters and interested people in a private room to fellowship and receive an update on our work."
Cobb revealed that the group's dinner plans were canceled after "an employee looked up our organization."
"Welcome to the 21st century, where people who likely consider themselves as 'progressives' attempt to recreate an environment from the 1950s and early 60s," Cobb continued as she referenced moments from the Civil Rights movement.
The foundation's president added an example of "progressives" believing that a baker should be "forced to create a wedding cake" for a same-sex couple but would "deny basic goods and services to those who hold biblical values around marriage."
Anderson's restaurant issued a statement on their Instagram in regard to the cancelation.
"Metzger Bar and Butchery has always prided itself on being an inclusive environment for people to dine in." read the restaurant's statement.
The establishment revealed that after the group made the reservation, staff discovered "a group of donors to a political organization that seeks to deprive women and LGBTQ+ persons of their basic human rights in Virginia."
This discovery prompted the cancelation as the staff are "women and/or members of the LGBTQ+ community."
"All of our staff are people with rights who deserve dignity and a safe work environment," the restaurant concluded.
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