Honestly, considering all of the batshit crazy things Amy and Samy Bouzaglo have done since the episode of Kitchen Nightmares aired, getting some PR help was probably a solid idea. However, hiring PR guy/disaster management guy Jason Rose might just continue the circus for another week. Rose has worked with, let’s say, an interesting list of clients, from Joe Arpaio to the super-classy Pink Taco restaurant that was in Scottsdale for a few minutes. Also, it should be noted, he was fired as the Special Olympics PR rep after making a joke about the Special Olympics on Twitter. A classy dude, by all accounts.
So, here we go, the place is reopening with an event on the 21st, the Bouzaglos are going to tell their side of the story and Phoenix civil rights activist Rev. Jarrett Maupin will be there. What could go wrong?
The re-opening press release is below the cut.
Other Side of Amy’s Baking Company Controversy in Scottsdale To Soon Be Told
SCOTTSDALE, AZ. MAY 15, 2013 — Amy’s Baking Company will host a Grand Re-Opening on Tuesday night, May 21, following unflattering portrayals on national television.
Customers will be able to decide who is correct: a famous celebrity chef or the marketplace that has supported the small, locally-owned business for six years.
When re-opened, a portion of proceeds will benefit a charity organized to bring awareness to cyber bullying.
Seating is limited. Reservations may be made by emailing sjones@rosemoserallynpr.com.
Diners will also have the opportunity to meet, and judge for themselves the character of owners Amy and Samy Bouzaglo, who have devoted their lives to and earn their living from their small restaurant. The Bouzaglos have been married for 10 years, after Sammy emigrated from Israel.
The owners will likely be holding a press conference before the Grand Re-Opening and answer falsehoods depicted on a reality television show, including assertions that the restaurant confiscates tips from servers.
In fact, wait staff is paid $8-$14 per hour, two and half to nearly five times the standard hourly wage for servers.
Questions will also be answered about what happened to their Facebook page.
Amy’s Baking Company was recently featured on the hit PBS show “Check Please” and has received A+ reports from CBS 5 for kitchen preparedness.
“We are very upset by what has taken place, apologize about the acrimony that has ensued but now must fight back to save our business. We hope and believe much good can result from what has transpired. We ask the public to keep an open mind as we begin to tell our side of the story,” Samy Bouzaglo said.
This article appears in May 16-22, 2013.
Jarrett Maupin is a “civil rights activist”? Please, the only thing that guy activates is his own ego.
They can put up a happy face for the night but what happens when someone critiques her food? She will flip out again and acuse you of being a hater. The crazy can’t simply go away. She already showed her true colors. Even Gordon himself said that whatever changes they implement will only be temporary and will go back to their way”crazy ways” sooner than later
“In fact, wait staff is paid $8-$14 per hour, two and half to nearly five times the standard hourly wage for servers.”
By my math they think the minimum wage is somewhere between $4 and $4.60 an hour give or take…
Can’t wait to see the debacle and aftermath of their continued FAIL.
This might be the ONLY reason to drive up to PHX in the summer.. I am making my reservations now.
I can’t believe they are still going on about the amount they pay their waitstaff. It doesn’t matter how much they pay them. Federal LAW states that the employer cannot take the tips unless there is an agreed-upon tip pool (and there was not).
These people are crazy. Too bad they’re crazy people with money to keep this going on and on instead of learning a lesson or two.
The minimum wage for servers is different (and much lower) than the regular minimum wage, ABC Fail Follower.
They’ve no doubt “sold out” with ringers they paid to “enjoy” their crap food & service.
Ellen Miller, the minimum wage for servers is lower BUT that is because legally their tips must make up for the rest and put them at least at minimum wage. If a server’s tips do not total up to miniumum wage, then the restaurant legally must compensate for that.
Samy was shown on TV admitting to taking the tips. So any BS they say is a bunch of lies.
And yes, lets decide; a chef, who has worked in the business for 20+ years, has restaurants all over the world, and is known for his cuisine, or these two trolls who are doing nothing but damage control.
so why hasn’t the labor department looked into this??
That Samy guy is so creepy and ingratiating. His wife has the “crazy eyes” like Jodi Arias.
This is the link to the petition that is spreading like wildfire to get the Dept of Labor to investigate and hold ABC accountable for theft. Please sign, every single signature means getting closer to some kind of justice for the current and ex workers of this business.
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
I would love to see the “Chef Amy” demonstrate for the press at to how “she” makes all her great desserts — made fresh daily according to their website. THEN have her multi-talented hubby — internet security expert AND world class photgrapher — set up the food photography. After all, and as he said, Amy made that beautiful food, and he shot the “pictures.” THEN, people like Martha Stewart “stole them.”
And to all those who have made reservations for the “Re-Grand Opening” — HERE’S AN IDEA: When your bill arrives, pay with a credit card, and Note the Tip line as “Cash Tip” — and hand your server their tip directly. Then sit back and watch Sammy melt down.
I would bet all the money in the world that every last person attending this “sold-out” event are friends, family and supporter’s of this restaurant. No self-respecting PR firm would allow them to let even one single person they don’t know and trust into this event that is supposed to shine a redeeming light on this train wreck!
“When re-opened, a portion of proceeds will benefit a charity organized to bring awareness to cyber bullying. ” – Yes, it is called Amy’s Pockets.
from the episode of kitchen nightmares and watching the way they treated their customers I’m surprised there hasn’t been any law suits yet, if I was the guy on the show who ordered a pizza waited over a hr and then was told to pay and leave without never getting any food, when he argued his point sammy pushed him, no owner of a resturant should ever put their hands on a customer unless they are protecting themself or another employee, if he put his hands on me like that the police would’ve been called sammy would’ve stayed the night in jail and we would be going through the court system right now.
Joe, I checked out your links to “Home is where the Holmans are” and Amy’s blog page and the photos of the devil’s food cake cupcake are identical. Wow, more wacky thievery from these two!
This is Arizona, where employer knows they can get away with almost any amount of dishonesty or abuse towards a customer or employee. No legal protections will apply, just ask Michelle M. “Heated Environment” – http://www.tucsonweekly.com/tucson/heated-environment/Content?oid=3643260
Minimum wage in AZ is $7.80 if you don’t make tips, and $4.80 if you do.
Did Samy really say that Martha Stewart stole their photos?? Really?!?!?!?! That’s gotta be the craziest thing yet!
Who said that the restaurant will be only full of their friends, lets see the week after that. Eventually “real people” will get back in the place. This is not going to go away just because a PR guy got called into it. The only way its going away is for them to dump the restaurant. I am glad they did that petition. Why it kills me when people like Amy and Samy call Gordon Ramsey to come and say our food is great, makes you wonder if they ever watched his shows? I worked in a pizza place and managed one, in independent and corporate and every pizza place is the same, 5 minutes in a 500 degree oven, in a pinch we could get a pizza out in 7-8 minutes. So to make a customer wait over a hour to get one, I would be beyond mad and calling the police myself to get my money back. Them stealing tips, they can BS however they want to say, its on film, your not going to erase Samy saying yes, we took tips and we went thru over 100 people in a year. Also they signed a contract, there are going to be re-runs you can guarantee that. Bottom line this is not over by a long shot.
Hitler goes to Amy Baking Company! http://youtu.be/vLUiy0-JYow
I can’t believe they have the nerve to bring cyber bullying into this again… That shows that they haven’t learned anything. They still think people are against them for no reason, and I don’t think these people will ever change.
“Customers will be able to decide who is correct: a famous celebrity chef or the marketplace that has supported the small, locally-owned business for six years.”
That sounds SO pretentious. Bake some humble pie, guys.
What a deranged, self-righteous bitch of an owner. She thinks only she is right, only her food is great and that the customer is always wrong. Wake up and open your eyes. No meter how much pretend smiley, smiley this place puts on, no matter how much front it portrays to the local community that it is a customer-friendly business, the moment a customer criticises the food, these owners will let rip and tell them to “…. Off”.
This place is only going in one direction, and to be honest that is the wake up call these disillusioned owners need.
From a viewer who watched the Ramsey Kitchen Nightmare show, where the truth was plain to see.
Any Justice for the workers or defamed and insulted customers yet?