Chef quits after she gets death threats for vegan jibe
A CHEF who received death threats after joking about spiking a vegan’s meal has quit her job as a result of the backlash.
Laura Goodman, 47, was said to be too scared to leave her house after receiving death threats over the row.
Miss Goodman – who has worked as a chef for 26 years – had written online that she ‘spiked a vegan a few hours ago’, adding that a ‘pious, judgmental’ diner had gone to bed ‘still believing she’s a vegan’.
But her partner said she made the ‘flippant’ Facebook comments after spending hours preparing dishes free from meat, fish, dairy and eggs for a vegan party visiting her restaurant, only for one of the diners to order a pizza topped with mozzarella – which is not vegan – from the normal menu.
The post prompted a furious reaction online, with some even calling for her to be prosecuted for assault, believing she had deliberately put meat in a vegan’s meal.
Others bombarded the restaurant’s TripAdvisor and Google pages with poor reviews, dragging it down from a five- star rating to one star, and she was forced to call police after receiving death threats.
Among the comments were calls for her to quit, while Les Taylor wrote on Facebook: ‘Hope she goes bankrupt and living on the streets vile worthless human.’ The incident happened on Saturday at Miss Goodman’s Italian restaurant in Shifnal, Shropshire – one of two that she runs in the county under the name Carlini.
Yesterday, she said: ‘I am really deeply sorry, there were no meat products added to the dishes.’
Her business partner and fiance Michael Gale, 62, said she had been left feeling ‘almost suicidal’ by the reaction. He had said the comments were made in anger after Miss Goodman had ‘ overindulged a bit’ on wine.
Yesterday, a spokesman for the restaurant confirmed that Miss Goodman had resigned as chef in the wake of the scandal.
He said: ‘Laura Goodman has today tendered her resignation from Carlini and the board of directors are currently considering their options.
‘Whilst this process is being completed, Laura will not be working at either of the restaurants, which will reopen later this week.’ A friend said: ‘Laura is in a bad way. She is too scared to leave the house. The police are taking the threats against her very seriously.
‘She can’t believe how she has found herself in this position. She actually made a flippant remark which wasn’t even true. She didn’t actually “spike” anyone’s food. It’s been a nightmare for her.’
The backlash also led to plans for a protest outside the restaurant, organised by Telford Vegan Action.
Some comments online called for the restaurant to be closed down, and the local council is investigating the incident.
But others said that they could sympathise with Miss Goodman’s anger.
Fiona Adams said: ‘ Having read the article regarding a chef who meticulously prepared separate meals especially for her vegan guests, who then ate mozzarella, I feel her pain, as know all too often chefs who try to please the gluten, wheat, dairy intolerant guests only for them to suddenly scoff a burger, some cheese and then eat chocolate torte.
‘Laura Goodman of Carlini restaurant thank you for highlighting how pathetic diners can really be.’
Chef boasts on Facebook about ‘spiking’ vegan diner’s pizza ... now she’s getting death threats