‘TOP CHEF’ IN SOUP OVER SEX PEST SCANDAL
NEW “Top Chef” champ Gabe Erales was chopped from his job at a swanky Texas restaurant for sexual harassment — and Bravo aired his triumph knowing he’d been canned! Although members of the show’s production team reportedly knew about Erales’ sleazy antics, Bravo aired the season anyway.
Now Bravo has gone from the frying pan into the fire. A TV industry insider told The National ENQUIRER,
“In the age of #MeToo, this doesn’t look good. ‘Top Chef’ has a winner who’s a sex pest and TV viewers had no idea!” Erales, 41, was the executive chef at the Mexican eatery Comedor in Austin and admitted to having a consensual sexual relationship with a female member of his kitchen staff in the summer of 2020.
The married father of three taped season 18 of “Top Chef” in Portland, Ore., in October and November of 2020.
When Erales returned to
Austin in November, the culinary creep cut his former lover’s hours.
On Dec. 15, Comedor’s owners announced he was fired due to “repeated violations of the company’s ethics policy as it relates to harassment of women.”
The episode showing
Erales’ win aired on July 1, prompting “Top Chef” host Padma Lakshmi to tweet:
“As someone who has been sexually harassed, this topic is a serious one and merits openness.
“We filmed ‘Top Chef’ in October of last year & were not aware of the allegations now coming out about Gabe.
“This should be investigated & the network should consider its best action.”
The “Top Chef” winner receives $250,000 and various other food industry perks, usually helping to push their career to the next level.
The TV industry source snapped: “Will Erales get to keep his $250,000 prize? Will he still appear at the Aspen Food & Wine Classic in September? Should he?”