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Chef Stephen Terry denies discrimination at Hardwick | Chef Stephen Terry denies discrimination at Hardwick |
(about 5 hours later) | |
Celebrity chef Stephen Terry has denied claims of sexual discrimination made by a pastry chef at his restaurant. | Celebrity chef Stephen Terry has denied claims of sexual discrimination made by a pastry chef at his restaurant. |
Chloe Maisey, 19, from Merthyr, has made 21 allegations about working as a chef at the Hardwick, near Abergavenny. | Chloe Maisey, 19, from Merthyr, has made 21 allegations about working as a chef at the Hardwick, near Abergavenny. |
Mr Terry told the Cardiff employment tribunal that restaurants are "pressurised" and there is "banter". | |
He said he was shocked after Ms Maisey's mother called claiming keys were taken from the teenager's handbag, vacuum packed and put high on a wall. | He said he was shocked after Ms Maisey's mother called claiming keys were taken from the teenager's handbag, vacuum packed and put high on a wall. |
Ms Maisey claimed another chef had threatened to kill her. | Ms Maisey claimed another chef had threatened to kill her. |
"Running a restaurant is very pressurised and there is a little bit of banter - it's not a daily occurrence," said Mr Terry, a regular star of TV cookery shows. | "Running a restaurant is very pressurised and there is a little bit of banter - it's not a daily occurrence," said Mr Terry, a regular star of TV cookery shows. |
"I have seen people take keys and move people's car around the corner so they can't find it. I have seen people hide in a freezer and jump out to scare somebody. | "I have seen people take keys and move people's car around the corner so they can't find it. I have seen people hide in a freezer and jump out to scare somebody. |
"Everyone has a right to say something if they experience or see something they don't like. | "Everyone has a right to say something if they experience or see something they don't like. |
"If she was so distressed about all these incidents then she could have told me about just one of them. | "If she was so distressed about all these incidents then she could have told me about just one of them. |
"But at no point ever did she tell me about any of these alleged incidents." | "But at no point ever did she tell me about any of these alleged incidents." |
Mr Terry told the hearing the first he heard of any alleged sexual discrimination was when Ms Maisey's mother rang. | Mr Terry told the hearing the first he heard of any alleged sexual discrimination was when Ms Maisey's mother rang. |
He asked her to put the allegations in writing but she never did. | He asked her to put the allegations in writing but she never did. |
"We have had over 100 female employees at the Hardwick and this is something completely new to us," said Mr Terry. | "We have had over 100 female employees at the Hardwick and this is something completely new to us," said Mr Terry. |
The father-of-three said he was a "family man" and took great responsibility in looking after someone else's child. | The father-of-three said he was a "family man" and took great responsibility in looking after someone else's child. |
"She could have asked for a word, there were plenty of people she could have spoken to," he said. | "She could have asked for a word, there were plenty of people she could have spoken to," he said. |
"If these alleged incidents took place I was never given an opportunity to do anything about it. That to me is devastating." | "If these alleged incidents took place I was never given an opportunity to do anything about it. That to me is devastating." |
Earlier, Ms Maisey told the hearing she was "delighted" to be working at the restaurant. | Earlier, Ms Maisey told the hearing she was "delighted" to be working at the restaurant. |
But she told the tribunal there were no female changing rooms and she was forced to change in front of men. | But she told the tribunal there were no female changing rooms and she was forced to change in front of men. |
"They stared at me constantly and made comments about my body," she said. | "They stared at me constantly and made comments about my body," she said. |
"They called me fat and made comments about my boobs." | "They called me fat and made comments about my boobs." |
She said a male colleague "slapped my bum" and she would "get a job flipping burgers at McDonald's if she did not do as they said". | She said a male colleague "slapped my bum" and she would "get a job flipping burgers at McDonald's if she did not do as they said". |
Ms Maisey also alleged she was shut in a work freezer and burnt on the arm with a hot metal tray. | Ms Maisey also alleged she was shut in a work freezer and burnt on the arm with a hot metal tray. |
When asked why she had not reported the incidents to Mr Terry, she replied: "It was the first job I had been in and I thought that was what happened. | When asked why she had not reported the incidents to Mr Terry, she replied: "It was the first job I had been in and I thought that was what happened. |
"I did not know who to go to or who to tell. I was ashamed of what was happening to me and I did not want to tell anyone." | "I did not know who to go to or who to tell. I was ashamed of what was happening to me and I did not want to tell anyone." |
The tribunal continues. | The tribunal continues. |