SAN ANTONIO – Just days after being recognized in the Michelin Guide, the owner of a Southtown oyster bar addressed allegations of employee mistreatment and what he calls “distasteful situations.”
Houston Carpenter, the owner of Little Em’s Oyster Bar, which received a recommendation on Monday from Michelin in its first Texas edition of the Michelin Guide, was accused on social media of harassment and causing high employee turnover.
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The allegations surfaced after Instagram user, looozee, asked for people to submit comments if they’ve been “personally victimized/harrassed/bullied” by Carpenter.
Looozee has publicly shared dozens of comments from people who accused Carpenter of mistreating and taking advantage of employees.
Carpenter addressed the allegations in a post on Instagram.
In the statement, Carpenter apologized for putting himself in “distasteful situations that have caused speculation.
Read his full statement below:
Recently, following our Michelin nod for Little Em’s, anonymous remarks attacking my integrity and that of our restaurant appeared. I’d like to address them head on.
As a small business owner I’ve worked hard to build an incredible team. In the process I had to learn a great deal about how to be a compassionate and trusted leader. Ask anyone who works with me now.
I’m proud of the team we have built over the last four years. Together we have built a workplace that is respectful and committed to delivering the best experience for our customers.
Of course, building a successful company does not happen overnight. It requires the right team because a restaurant is nothing without their employees.We grew quickly and in our case this meant turnover, which I know can be hard to deal with.
To be clear, I have put myself in distasteful situations that have caused speculation. I apologize and will learn from this. I sincerely apologize to my family, friends, team, and community for not learning this lesson sooner. I commit to being the best man I can be and hope we can all grow stronger from this.
Lastly, to the BEST team in San Antonio: I’m incredibly proud of our work and appreciate your support. Together we are doing remarkable work and we look forward to serving more folks great food here in San Antonio.
Little Em’s Oyster Bar is located on the 1000 block of South Alamo St. The restaurant serves upscale cuisine, such as steak tartare and chef’s mussels.
