Hong Kong restaurant DHK on Wednesday was shortlisted for new Michelin-starred restaurants. However, local media reported that the restaurant closed unexpectedly on the same day. According to its employees, they have not been paid for months, and the local authority has launched an investigation into the premises.
On April 26, the Grand Lisboa Hotel in Macau hosted the Michelin Star Gala for 11 Asian restaurants, including DHK. The Michelin star is widely recognized as the highest recognition and highest award in gastronomy.
The restaurant was awarded a Michelin star and closed
However, as local media pointed out, there were no DHK representatives at the ceremony and no one came up on stage to receive the award. Furthermore, Hong Kong’s South China Morning Post pointed out that on the same day the star rating was announced, the restaurant had not opened. Early Thursday morning, the restaurant was flagged as “temporarily closed” in a Google search engine, and “closed” in OpenRice’s Hong Kong restaurant guide. Her website and social media profiles also went down, and no one answered the phone.
It turned out that the DHK restaurant was closed. In an interview with local media, the restaurant staff admitted that they only found out about it the day before. But, they reported, they had not received their salaries for several months.
SEE ALSO: Restaurateur Explains Ban on Using Phones. The customer hasn’t eaten for four minutes.
The restaurant did not pay the salaries of its employees
The media was able to confirm that the Hong Kong Ministry of Labor and the Compulsory Pensions Authority (MPFA) had previously received complaints about non-payment of wages and non-payment of pension contributions to their employees. A spokesperson for the MPFA confirmed that the foundation is looking into a possible breach of duty by the employer and opening an investigation.
Local media do not specify whether the closure of the building on the day of receiving the Michelin star was coincidental or whether the two events were related. It is known, however, that this distinction not only brings publicity but also generates additional costs for the restaurant. – The guest still needs a complete ritual around it all. Fine china, beautiful cutlery, decor or a lot of staff – counts Michel Morin, French restaurateur and juror of the Polish version of “Masterchef” and “Masterchef Junior” on TVN in 2017.
See also: Michelin star for the third restaurant in Poland
South China Morning Post, HK01, tvn24.pl
Main image source: Google Maps
