Protesting celebrity chef doubles down on his controversial decision to ban vegans and reveals his rambling restaurant has never been busier: ‘If you come after me, you’re going to get pissed off’
John Mountain doubles down on his vegan ban The ban came after a vegan left a one-star review that also took aim at his skills as a chef, Mr. Mountain says as the ban business grows.
A celebrity chef who banned vegetarians from his ritzy restaurant claims business is booming.
UK-born restaurateur John Mountain announced this week that he would no longer serve plant-based diners after an angry woman triggered a series of one-star reviews on his page after a bad experience.
With the boycott causing uproar across the country, notorious vegan activist Tash Peterson led protests at his Fire restaurant in Connolly, north of Perth.
But Mr Mountain told The Project on Wednesday he had no regrets.
“I have nothing against anyone except those who want to harm my business,” he said.
UK-born celebrity chef John Mountain (pictured) has doubled down on his vegetarian ban, saying his business is doing better than ever since the move.
Controversy erupted after a vegan diner left a one-star review discussing his ‘flaws as a chef’ which he took personally, leading him to ban them all via Facebook (pictured).
‘I don’t care if you’re green, yellow, orange, you can be Mexican, I don’t give a monkey’s.
‘You’re trying to hurt my business, you’re coming after me, you’ll have the wrath of Johnny Shaffin Mountain against you.’
He jokes that he always knows when his restaurants are vegetarian.
‘You always know if there’s a vegan in your restaurant because they’ll tell you 17 times before they even set foot in your building that they’re vegan,’ he said.
Despite sparking outrage for many, Mr Mountain said business had grown dramatically.
‘Things worked out ridiculously well… I usually have half a dozen people in this lovely restaurant.. I booked 35 for dinner (Wednesday night),’ he said.
‘Thank you so much for your vegetarianism, I can now go buy a new farm and look after my animals well.’
Mr Mountain said his decision was simple as if you come to him and his business he will come to you (Photo: Mr Mountain’s Restaurant Fire)
Notorious vegan activist Tash Peterson (pictured) and others have suggested online they may protest at his Fire restaurant in Connolly, north of Perth.
The controversy arose from a vegan diner with a one-star review that discussed his ‘flaws as a chef’.
Mr Mountain took the comment personally and banned anyone who identified him as a vegetarian via Facebook.
‘Sadly all vegans are now banned from FIRE for mental health reasons. Thank you for understanding us. xx,’ he wrote on Tuesday.
Following his comments, vegan activist Ms Peterson, who has previously been known to protest inside the diner, said the chef was guilty and insecure.
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He told 7News, ‘He’s obviously triggered by the vegetarianism and I think it’s probably a defense mechanism for his own guilt.’
The woman who wrote the scathing review emailed the restaurant several weeks ago.
He told the capital that he was vegetarian and his favorite foods were gnocchi and risotto.
The meal she got was a $32 vegetable dish that her review described as ‘okay but not that filling’.
‘I think it’s incredibly important these days that restaurants can accommodate everyone, and not being able to eat real plant-based food shows your shortcomings as a chef,’ said the controversial review from the aggrieved diner.
Mr Mountain has lived in Australia for seven years after moving from Britain where he was a celebrity chef who shared an agent with culinary superstar Jamie Oliver.
He starred in the cooking shows Great British Menu and Chef Race UK vs. US.
He has also worked with culinary trailblazer Heston Blumenthal at the original Fat Duck restaurant in Berkshire, England, as well as the brash Michelin three-star Marco Pierre White in London’s Mayfair.
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