[Update: The Bouzaglos claim to have been “hacked.”]
We now present a masterclass in how a business owner should not respond to criticism.
You might be familiar with Amy’s Baking Company, up in Scottsdale — and likely, not for the reason that a restaurant would prefer to be known for.
This 2010 video (which we’re linking to due to poor audio quality) from Phoenix’s KTVK shows a mighty tiff between a Phoenix-area Yelper and owner/chef Amy Bouzaglo — though, honestly, that’s nothing compared to the display from the recent season finale of Gordon Ramsey’s shout-fest TV show, Kitchen Nightmares, during which Amy and her husband Samy Bouzaglo freak the fuck out at anything and everything — customers, Gordon Ramsey, each other — in their quest to be a notable business.
If their aim was to gain notability through (spoilers) making Ramsey toss up his hands and walk off, they appear to have succeeded. But, they didn’t stop there: somehow these folks poked the bear that is the Internet, earning a ridiculous discussion thread on Reddit that appears to have poured into their Facebook page. Now?
- facebook.com
- That seems excessive.
Presumably, Amy and Samy have decided to rain hellfire upon their Facebook audience, salting the earth where any goodwill might one day grow, with statuses and responses that include lines like “WE WILL START A GENERATION OF TRUTHFULLNESS (sic) AND WE WILL FIGHT TO BRING PLACES LIKE, YELP AND REDDIT, AND HORRIBLE PEOPLE LIKE GORDON TO THE LIGHT” and “I AM GODS CHILD. PISS OFF ALL OF YOU. FUCK REDDITS, (sic) FUCK YELP AND FUCK ALL OF YOU” and “AMERICA IS ABOUT RESSLING, (sic) IT IS NOT A BIG DEAL. THE CAKES WE OFFER ARE EXPENSIVE BECAUSE WE HAVE TO REPACKAGE AND SHIP” which is seems to be in response to (seemingly accurate) accusations that they purchase desserts and re-sell them under their own name.
My personal favorite bit is that Amy appears to be a fan of calling Scottsdale police whenever anything appears to be going down, as demonstrated in this Phoenix New Times report of the show’s taping, and this spectacular threat posted on their Facebook page:
- facebook.com
- Seems legit.
That image, captioned “SEE! WE WILL GET YOU,” looks to be masterfully edited to make it seem as if Scottsdale PD responds immediately and personally to each and every rude comment on the Internet directed to citizens who own businesses within city limits…which seems a mite bit implausible. Just saying.
Honestly, I’m both astounded and impressed. If you want to continue to watch Amy’s Baking Company burn any good will they may have accrued at any point in the past, check out their Facebook.
This article appears in May 9-15, 2013.
They also admitted yesterday that they do not make the desserts themselves and they have them shipped in, claiming that “reselling is how America works” and they “told Gordon Ramsey they made them because he is not from America and wouldn’t understand how it works”. Some of those comments were deleted shortly after being posted but I have the screenshots of them. In addition, nearly all of the images posted on their website and facebook page have been discovered as stolen from other online sources. Several of the original creators and owners of the images have been notified and are trying to get the images removed. The “Order Shipping” page of the website contained many of these and appears to have been shut down but the images in the facebook page are still active and the original image links have been added in the comments by those that found them. Some image owners are also commenting on these to get them taken down with no luck so far. OFF THE CHARTS!!!
She seems very nice.
At least the people at Crazy Amy’s Baking Company facebook page are just pretending to be crazy, Amy and Sammy quite clearly are crazy by my definition of the word.
I hope Scottsdale is good to the staff when they are looking for a new job.
Massively entertaining but also a little sad how deranged this whole thing is. I salute you internet!
She speaks feline though!
When she started Meowing I lost it! Really? !?! I wonder why she even had Chef Ramsay there? It couldnt just be so he could make her look good to the public after the “online bullying incident”. I wonder…..
Which sorority was she in at ASU?
One can only hope Amy’s “Baking” goes the way of the dinosaurs and that psycho b**ch gets locked up in a rubber room where she belongs
It seems to me that Amy and Samy are gunning for the wealth and fame of reality TV. I imagine they’ll be coming to TLC, MTV, or Bravo soon.
Her real name is Amanda Patricia Bossingham.
The court ordered her to pay $36,294.95 in restitution. Ms. Bossingham plead guilty to submitting an application for a line of credit with M & I Bank using the social security number of another person. The Bank approved the line of credit in the amount of $15,000.
On June 15, 2004, the Court sentenced her to fourteen months prison. (she appealed, but eventually lost, reported to prison in Oct, 7, 2008)
http://www.plainsite.org/flashlight/case.html?id=20189
This “bakery” is owned by felons involved in identity theft – likely a money laundering operation for Sammy
Textbook borderline personality disorder.
What’s borderline about it??
Hey Amy, aren’t you a little old for a baby? Just sayin’
amy claims to be christian but her words and actions are not christian..Please dont look to her as a christian example..
They shouldn’t have aired the program, imho, let alone make it the season finale. It wasn’t about food and Gordon didn’t help them. They were obviously prime troll fodder, so it’s not surprising to see the meltdown. Everybody likes to watch a train wreck, but it usually doesn’t end well. OTOH, they are nasty abusive people. so it’s hard to feel sorry for them.
Force this business to be closed!
Boycott any business that this couple opens!
I was lucky (or unlucky) enough to be home that Friday evening when they aired the show here in NY. And at first thought that they, referring to both owners of course, were just really crazy but eventually formulated that they are both disfunctional (and may even be delusional) adults. The worse part is, each individual’s disfunction, feeds the other’s. Both display and enact total disregard to everyone else, especially the woman, and have obvious lack of accountability to anything that takes place and occurs in their daily lives. I believe, and as the Chef mentioned as he left them, both are too old to realize and are just too used to be able to try and change for the better. This may just be a case where it is really hopeless. And I can guarrantee that when, not IF, the business fails, all the blame will be directed at each and everyone else but themselves.
should have let your husband take it over your just spoiled and don’t want to listen to reason you don’t have a open mind to listen to something that could have helped you so hope your happy cleaning out all those cakes you didn’t bake but you might be on tv again maybe the ID channel there’s alot of nuts on there …………….
Sounds like meth to me.
god’s child on botox
uknow, I might almost think that she cooked this whole thing up as a publicity stunt. But then I come to my senses and remind myself what a whacko she is and this would likely be outside her skill set, just like the restaurant business is….
Here is a fact that appears to be overlooked; when a company/person makes a claim that they are making something, when in fact they are just repackaging something and doing it online, it becomes fraud!
Looking at this person’s past, fraud appears to be an old friend for her/them. 🙁
Kind of sad really, too bad she learned nothing in prison, but then most identity theft people never really learn anything, just keep doing what they think they are entitled to.
That “the police called me” image is fake. You can see in the lower left corner that they cut and pasted the text. They actually tried to get Redditors to believe that the cops were going to call them. They obviously are new to the intertubes.
i hope they lose their gold canyon pad and move to the ghetto
The comment above left by a so called “Kathy Parker” is no doubt Amy or Samy… Besides the ridiculous comment left, the picture is of the little boy killed in the Boston bombings. This is disgusting, disheartening, and proving what GOD-awful people they really are!
This is the most ridiculous thing I’ve seen/heard in quite a while. This couple needs some serious help, and needs to realize they are human. And humans make mistakes, it’s. to be imperfect. We are all made that way, but when you are so delusional that you truly believe you can do no wrong you’re only fooling yourself. I wish nothing but the best for these people, but they are thir own worst enemies!
The steal the tips of the servers, that is against DOL rules and laws, they repackage desserts and say they are theirs, that is fraud. They lied to Chef Ramsey about the desserts, ravs and who knows what else. I believe she wanted Chef Ramsey to validate her food, so she could say look look see my food is fine to put it back in the critics face they have been battling for years. It back fired on her. Then she got rid of him before he could bring everything to light she is doing, like the desserts and what ever else she is bring in that she doesnt really cook. She treats people and employees like second class people, and who sings like that meow? The thing I find shocking is the people that are defending them, they are saying its ok she acts this way and is doing the illegal things she is doing. It is illegal to take staff tips as a owner. The long list of things she is doing as a every day practice is shameful. And people are defending her, wow its unbelievable.
Is this all a scam? … to create clicks, views, followers, potential for future reality TV/ YouTube videos?? Are we enablers for another Kardashian-type “celebrity”?
How do we distinguish between an actually bizarre story and a setup??
We need a South Park episode on this storyline………. Come on Trey and Matt do it!
Uh, no I won’t contribute a buck. WTF? Are you serious? Talk about a scam. Anyone who gives you money is an idiot on par with Amy and Samy.
You know it’s odd, I was first reading the restaurant reviews on Google and came across a positive review by a Kathy Parker, in the midst of many negative reviews (yes, most claiming they had never been to the restaurant, but had seen Nightmare Kitchens). This Kathy Parker, and it would appear the one on here as well, has a tendency to occasionally CAPITALIZE certain words for emphasis. I noticed that Amy/Samy tend to do the same thing as well. This doesn’t mean that Kathy is Amy or Samy, but it does make me wonder.
I have never been so completely entertained by such a train-wreck saga. I thought the deranged sorority-girl email was comedy gold, but this leaves it in the dust. Those two women MUST be related.
Taking server’s tip is the lowest of low. Run head first into the wall really hard, Sammy.
I found the whole Kitchen Nightmares episode so unbelieveable I had to watch it OnDemand “three” times to believe the behavior I saw. It is inconceivable, to me, that two fully grown people…Amy has to be late 40’s early 50’s and Samy has to be 20 years older, which makes him late 60′
s early 70’s… could behave in such a fashion running a business. The two of them are clearly completely out of control and really should not be in charge of of anything, not even themselves. I am really embarrassed for them.
LOL! 25 likes and 1 dislike on my comment about “Kathy Parker”? I wonder who the dislike is from. Yalla Yalla, it’s Christmas! Meow. I re-read “Kathy Parker’s” review on Google and noticed that she refers to Yelp as YELP, just as Amy/Samy do. Yelp is the name of a company, not an acronym.
Dear God, Please do not let them reproduce…Amen
One more thing, thank you God for showing us the certifiable insane! Who cares what their food tastes like, with a felon behind the door and she continues to create wire fraud with her re-packaging & shipping? I’d call that some serious misrepresentation. Poor Samy doesn’t realize his mob fluff doesn’t have the same impact in today’s world that it once had. Looks like to me he must have thought he was marrying a trophy wife only to get a pizza covered nut! I would never enter any place of business they had ties to! Good Luck!
Do you have a minute? Can you please sign this PETITION: https://www.change.org/petitions/the-us-department-of-labor-and-the-wage-and-hour-division-whd-investigate-amy-s-baking-company-bakery-boutique-bistro-in-scottsdale-az
The staff at ABC (both current and former) have been negatively affected due to the company’s completely ILLEGAL policy of tip-theft. I think these hardworking servers deserve better…and I’m guessing the State and Fed might agree…
Please help by signing. Thank you!
Suddenly Jodi Arias is the 2nd most psychotic female in Arizona
The show is a farce. These people were paid actors. Anything that comes out of Hollywood is designed to draw as many ratings as possible. As much money as Fox makes of this, they can afford a stunt like this. Do your homework.
Darla, many restaurants sell desserts that are not homemade (there are commercial bakeries that do this), although I will acknowledge that it is unusual for a place that has “bakery” in their name to do so. It also explains why the desserts were so good while the rest of the food was terrible. And on their FB page (before things went completely wacko) they said that they pay their employees a full salary, so in theory the tips are not required to make them whole (tipped employees get a reduced salary at most places), so it is not illegal. That said, taking tips when customers think they are going to the employees is a sleazy thing to do.
WK Rhynes, I don’t think so. But nice try.
MisterBill…you are incorrect. The FLSA (Federal Labor Standards Act) does not waver in terms of what is permissible vs. what is illegal for tipped-wages. ALL servers in traditionally tipped positions (i.e. Server) canNOT have their tips confiscated FOR ANY REASON. Nor is it acceptable to pay them an hourly wage IN LIEU OF tipped wages. Check out Fact Sheet #15, Tipped Employees under the FLSA.
Hence…the petition! https://www.change.org/petitions/the-us-department-of-labor-and-the-wage-and-hour-division-whd-investigate-amy-s-baking-company-bakery-boutique-bistro-in-scottsdale-az
If they dont let sluts in their “restaurant” why is Amy there?
Also, I wish little french Sammy would yell at me.. really do… Mob ties, my ass!
A.J., I’m still not convinced. On an earlier thread, there was someone who seemed to be well versed in labor law who said they were not doing anything illegal. If the position they were hired for says it is a straight salary position and is not tipped, then I think they are not doing anything illegal (obviously not right, but not illegal). If you saw the show, the husband entered all orders into the system. I’ll bet he entered them all with his name and none of the orders had the actual order takers. In fact, they seem to use a lot of table runners from what I recall.. perhaps they don’t even call their servers “servers”.
The owner made my 6 year old Grandson cry when he said the pizza was soggy. Said he was a clueless lettle kid who should be sucking milk from his mother.
40 is not “old” for a baby! Do you know how babies are made Billybobjimbob? Maybe it’s time for Daddy to have “the talk” with you! LOL
Do not miss this place on Holloween night for a surpise dinner!
You will have more fun, then anyone person should have!
This is a marvelous shit show
I’d like to call them both nuts but that’s too simplistic. The woman at least needs professional mental health counseling. Her husband needs to grow some and stand up to her. He’d rather lose customers than face her wrath. Both very dysfunctional.
Did this woman run a certain AM station here in town into a wall before trying her hand at baking or is she just a creepy relative?
The network accidentally sent in Gordon Ramsey instead of Dr. Phil to save them lmfao.
The blatent disrespect to customers and abhorrent treatment of their staff is disgusting.
I think Amy is a kin to Jan Brewer
MisterBill, if your employer took your money, you would likely consider it theft. Most folks consider theft to be illegal – even when an employer in a right-to-work state considers it their right. Based on experience, it’s doubtful AZ DOL will possess the willingness to provide justice for the staff. The servers will probably have to get used to it or move on. When AZ employers hire the right lawyers they tend to do whatever they want, no matter how outrageous the conduct to staff and customers. see “Heated Environment”
misrepresenting, there is a difference between what is legal and what is right. I don’t dispute that they should not be keeping the tips (or they need to notify customers what they do) and it is NOT right.
The question is whether what they are doing is illegal, as has been claimed here. I would love to have someone who has eaten there post a receipt so we can see who it says your server was. Remember that Samy was entering all the orders into the POS system by himself. What are the odds that the receipt has the correct server’s name on it? I know that Mario Batali was fined millions of dollars by NY last year for sharing his server’s tips with other staff. But that was a MUCH different situation. Those servers were considered tipped employees. ABC is paying a full wage that does not rely on tips to get minimum wage. That may exempt them from any problems that ensue from not giving the tips to the employees. Also think of this — they’ve gone through 100+ employees (many/most of whom likely left under bad circumstances). You don’t think that at least one of them went to the state labor department to ask them to investigate this?
A.J., MisterBill, misrepresenting, it is a shame that the majority of “likes” recognize and believe that a petition is probably required to compel a labor agency in AZ to do their expected job of protecting the labor force. It speaks volumes.
It’s sad because the woman has great potential to be successful. She makes great desserts, and the restaurant looks tidy, clean and appealing. She also seems to love cooking.
There were also, always customers in it which is more than a lot of other restaurants have with the challenging economy. Her extreme defensive emotions, as well as her up and down moods could be a medical condition that could be solved with a prescription.
I pray they are enlightened to the universal law – what one sows so shall they reap. Once they understand this, they can take the next step. Otherwise they will have to suffer under the illusion that they are the victims, and everyone else are wrong.
Over 40K sigs so far. The DOJ has opened a file on them for stealing tips. The IRS will be close behind them if they didn’t report the tips as income. Couldn’t happen to a nuttier couple! https://www.change.org/petitions/the-us-department-of-labor-and-the-wage-and-hour-division-whd-investigate-amy-s-baking-company-bakery-boutique-bistro-in-scottsdale-az
WHO CARES?
I agree with all the comments here except one ~ the which supports these two hooligan ABC owners. I didn’t realise she’d been in prison before but everything happens for a reason. If she hasn’t been so trashy on Gordon’s Kitchen Nightmares no one else would have known about her prison stint and now it’s known Worldwide. What goes around comes around. END OF.
Any Justice for the workers or defamed customers yet?
I thought she meant *Riesling* is how America works. If only!
I live in New York so I am used to rude people. But this female owner “Amy” of this business has an attitude larger than the Empire State Building. I don’t care how good the food is. If you are bitchy and disrespectful I can eat elsewhere. She wouldn’t last one hour in NYC and that is a given.
Don’t waste your time and money there….worst place ever to try and dine. The owners are just like you saw on TV, very rude to their customers especially (heaven forbit) you are unhappy with your food!!
“If the position they were hired for says it is a straight salary position and is not tipped, then I think they are not doing anything illegal (obviously not right, but not illegal).”
Incorrect. Even if they are paid an hourly wage that is at or above minimum wage (rather than server min) Owners or managers MAY NOT take any part of an employees tip. They can set up a rule that tips are not accepted (like fast food does) but may not claim it for themselves. Even if a restaurant sets up a tip pool where tips are spread among servers and/or other employees, the owners and managers MAY NOT be part of that tip pool.
Amy claimed that they paid a regular hourly wage instead of a servers min wage + tips so that they could be guaranteed to make Something for the day, even if it was slow. HOWEVER if a server does not make enough tips to bring the total (with servers min) up to the regular min wage then the restaurant HAS to make up the difference anyway. So they are still guaranteed to “make something” (min wage in fact) no matter how slow it is. Min wage is $7.50 and amy pays the servers $8 (she says between $8-14, but all the employees say they never made more than 8 something).
“If you saw the show, the husband entered all orders into the system. I’ll bet he entered them all with his name and none of the orders had the actual order takers”.
That actually proves theft by fraud rather than proving his innocence. If they actually had a rule that tips could not be accepted, he would need to ring the charges in without charging the tip rather than paying it to himself.
“In fact, they seem to use a lot of table runners from what I recall.. perhaps they don’t even call their servers “servers”.”
Amy tried to use that as an excuse too (funny how her story keeps changing). She said that before the show they didn’t have servers only food runners…… EXCEPT want ads they posted for hiring, posted on their twitter and elsewhere from before the show said they were hiring “Waitresses” or “Servers”. In addition their employee contract (again from before the show) that was leaked online referred to the employee as “Server” and said they got $8 an hour and tips belong to “the house”. So they DID have servers, called such by name. Also even putting it in the contract doesn’t make it legal. Again the DOL says that owners may not take any part of an employees tips. Putting in a contract does not make something that is illegal magically legal. They clearly never ran that contract by a lawyer (or even a spell checker).
“ABC is paying a full wage that does not rely on tips to get minimum wage. That may exempt them from any problems that ensue from not giving the tips to the employees.”
Ah yes, but it would not exempt them from allowing the tips and then claiming them for themselves. They could disallow tipping, but COULD NOT under ANY Circumstances claim such tips as their own.
In fact the DOL CLEARLY states that owners may NOT claim any part of an employees tips EVEN IF they are paid a higher hourly wage. In fact even if you paid them $100 per hour, it would Still be illegal to claim the employees tips. Now in this case I don’t think they actually thought they were doing anything illegal. They likely believed that they could take the tips if they paid an hourly wage, but they in fact can’t.