Celebrity chef who banned vegans from his restaurant suffers new blow as his girlfriend breaks up with him after savage backlash
- Chef John Mountain banned vegans from his Perth restaurant
- He said the backlash saw him and his partner break up
A celebrity chef who banned vegans from his restaurant said he broke up with his girlfriend because she ‘couldn’t handle’ the backlash that followed.
UK-born restaurateur John Mountain shared a post on his Perth restaurant Fyre’s Facebook page that vegans are ‘banned for mental health reasons’ last Monday following an online feud with a negative reviewer.
On Tuesday he admitted to podcast Youth Jam the saga has taken a personal toll.
‘This week has been a pretty tough week…. it’s been tough on my personal life, in fact it’s ended my relationship so that’s very sad,’ Mountain said.
‘My partner couldn’t handle it, she just kept breaking down and I thought “well that’s the last thing I need I’ve got enough vegans on my back”.’
UK-born celebrity chef John Mountain (above) said he and his partner split because she ‘couldn’t handle’ the backlash of his restaurant’s vegan ban
Mountain banned all vegans from his Perth restaurant, Fyre (above), following an online feud with a negative reviewer last week
Mountain kick-started a war against vegans around the globe with his response to a non-meat eater’s negative review.
He said the vegan woman emailed him before visiting Fyre to check if they had options to suit her diet.
Mountain claims he reassured the woman Fyre served vegetable sides and gnocchi that could be made vegan-friendly.
However, he forgot about her request in the chaos of Saturday night as the restaurant was catering a private party.
The woman sent a private message the following Sunday which Mountain said he took personal offence to.
‘My only option was the vegetable dish… it was okay but not that filling… and I was shocked to see it was $32,’ the complaint, seen by Perth Now, read.
Mountain (above) said he broke up with his girlfriend because ‘she just kept breaking down and I thought “well that’s the last thing I need I’ve got enough vegans on my back”‘.’
Mountain said he had agreed to accommodate a vegan woman’s requirements before she visited Fyre but was unable to because the restaurant was catering a private party (pictured, a meal at Fyre)
‘I think it’s incredibly important nowadays that restaurants can accommodate everyone and to not be able to have actual plant-based meals shows your shortcomings as a chef.
‘I hope to see some improvements in your menu as I have lived in Connolly for quite some time and have seen many restaurants come and go from that building and none of them last.
‘If you don’t get with the times, I don’t hold out faith that your restaurant will be the one that does.’
Mountain responded to the message: ‘As for vegans/vegetarians being a very low minority, especially in the northern burbs’ I try to accommodate everyone else.
‘Thanks for your negative review… please feel free to share your s**tty experience and I look forward to not seeing you again.
‘How very childish.
‘You and all your vegan mates can all go and enjoy your dishes in another venue. You are now banned.’
Mountain shared a Facebook post (above) last Monday to ban vegans from his restaurant
Mountain (pictured right on the BBC ‘s Great British Menu) later said ‘F*** vegans seriously… I’m done. At the end of the day, it’s not what I want to do, they can f*** off’
Fyre’s Google overview was flooded with one-star reviews following Mountain’s (above) ban
The celebrity chef, best known for starring on the BBC’s Great British Menu more than a decade ago, followed the exchange with a nasty Facebook post.
‘Sadly All Vegans are now banned from FYRE (for mental health reasons),’ it read.
‘We thank you for your understanding. Xx.’
The post caused massive backlash from the vegan community.
Fyre’s Google overview was flooded with one-star reviews and the restaurant was overrun with fake bookings – forcing Mountain to introduce a $30 booking deposit.
Instead of backing down to the vegans, Mountain stood firm on his ban and slammed the ‘minority’ for ‘hurting the business’.
‘F*** vegans seriously… I’m done. At the end of the day, it’s not what I want to do, they can f*** off,’ he told Perth Now.
On Tuesday Mountain shared a quote by famous American chef Anthony Bourdain seemingly doubling-down on his position, despite the impact on his personal life.
‘Vegetarians, and their Hezbollah-like splinter faction, the vegans are the enemy of everything good and decent in the human spirit,’ the quote reads.
‘To live life without veal or chicken stock, fish cheeks, sausages, or organ meats is treasonous.’
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