Chef Apologizes After Being Called Out by TikTok Influencer for Rude Comments
Chef Luke Sung is apologizing -- and stepping down from his position at Kis Café -- after making rude comments about a TikTok influencer.
It all began when TikTok creator Karla, known as @itskarlabb, shared her experience after being invited to a new restaurant in San Francisco to review the food and experience. However, her visit was short lived, with Karla leaving the establishment in tears when the chef of the restaurant wasn't so welcoming.
In the video, Karla claimed that after learning her following amount on TikTok -- which was around 15,000 followers at the time -- he allegedly said it was a "mistake" to invite her. She said he even boasted that his daughter has over 600,000 followers on TikTok and that she is "not at that level."
"He goes on to say that my audience and my followers are not the kind of people that are going to be at his restaurant," Karla said.
"Then he says, 'Not to be snobby, but do you know who I am?'" she continued. "And I say no because I don't know who he is."
"I tell him that I felt disrespected because they were talking about me right in front of me and belittling my work."
When Karla posted the TikTok, social media users flooded the comments with support, increasing her view count to two million views. Sung's daughter, Isabelle Sung, even issued an apology after seeing the video, which reached over 3.9 million views.
The restaurant, meanwhile, called him out in Instagram as well -- saying his "behavior was unacceptable and he is no longer part of the team as a co-owner, a chef or in any other way." The restaurant also claimed that the chef "reached out to the creator with a personal apology," before clarifying in an update that "Luke did not get fired from the team, he left of his own accord."
The restaurant's Instagram page says they are "permanently closed," while they added in a statement, "We are closing soon and restructuring after these events."
In another Instagram post shared Sunday, chef Sung finally apologized for his rude comments towards the influencer as well.
"Hi everyone- I am Luke Sung (previous chef of Kis Cafe). It was important for me to first apologize to Karla privately and step away from Kis cafe before publicly apologizing," Sung wrote in a post shared to Kis Café's Instagram.
"Karla - I am truly sorry for my actions towards you," he continued.
"I was condescending, hurtful, and intimidating. You did not deserve to be made to feel less than or unimportant, nobody does," he added. "Regardless, I thank you for teaching me a valuable lesson in kindness and respect."
He apologized to his coworkers and employees at the restaurant and mentioned how his actions should not be a reflection of them or the establishment.
"There are no excuses to be made, and I've decided it's time for me to step away from Kis cafe permanently and in all capacities," he continued.
"I have worked with many of the employees at the restaurant for years," he added, "and they are incredible people who don't deserve to suffer due to my behavior."
On the last slides, Sung apologized to his daughter and family for his behavior as well.
"I am sorry I put you in this position, and am ashamed that you had to be the one to own up for my mistake," he wrote.
"All I have ever wanted to do is as give you the opportunity to create a better life for yourself than the one I grew up with, and I've failed you in the worst way," he continued. "I came to this country to give all my kids the best chance to work hard toward their goals, and now I've given the public nothing but a reason to tear them down for my actions."
"I am sorry for disrespecting all of your efforts and hard work to build your careers."
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