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Anonymous Manifesto Alleges Misconduct at Atlanta Steakhouse Marcel

The accusations against leadership at the restaurant include alleged racism, sexual harassment, and safety violations

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Shot of a dining room, with tables against a blue booth and low lighting
Marcel dining room
Marcel

An anonymous individual has posted a detailed online manifesto accusing Westside steakhouse Marcel and its parent company Ford Fry’s Rocket Farm Restaurants of several serious transgressions that allegedly took place at the restaurant.

The website, which is not attributed to a specific person or group, detailed these allegations, which range from accusations of racism toward nonwhite staff members, inadequate pay for workers, sexual harassment, and corrupt management, in a more than 4,000-word blog titled the Manifeste du Restaurant Marcel. The document also includes photos, which they allege show food safety violations, among other issues.

The document claims that Marcel employees had attempted to address these concerns internally, but had been largely ignored by human resources.

“We even created a petition, with many staff signatures, that was ignored. Sometimes, we were met with appeasements meant to pacify dire concerns, but more often, we were met with deliberate apathy,” the blog reads. “Human Resources would prefer these issues were handled silently and compliantly and therein lies our core issue- racism, corruption, abuse all transcend the confines of private discussion.”

Eater Atlanta reached out to Marcel and Rocket Farm Restaurants for comment; the restaurant group said in a statement that it is reviewing the allegations. Rocket Farm Restaurants’ statement is below:

“We are saddened by these allegations. Our people are the backbone of our company and we’ve always been steadfast in our commitment to fostering a safe and fair work environment for all. We are following up on every accusation to confirm we understand each concern to protect our team. From what we know so far, we can confidently say that many of these points are inaccurate and any concerns we were alerted to were previously addressed. Our team is our family, and we take these matters incredibly seriously. As we actively discuss with our people, we will do everything possible to ensure every voice is heard.”

Marcel opened at 1170 Howell Mill Road in 2015. At the time, it was Atlanta-based chef Ford Fry’s (Superica, The Optimist, Little Sparrow, etc.) eighth restaurant. Fry now owns more than 20 restaurants across the country, 13 of which are in metro Atlanta. Marcel has maintained critical acclaim for almost a decade for its food, atmosphere, and service. Last year, it was added to Atlanta’s Michelin Guide as a Michelin-recommended restaurant. Fry’s latest restaurant, Little Sparrow, opened in October 2023 and added Bar Blanc upstairs the following month.

Fry sent an apology to the Marcel staff via email on Tuesday, March 20, encouraging them to reach out directly with concerns. “It makes me really sad to think that any one of you has ever felt not comfortable talking to your leaders, and I am so sorry if this was your experience,” he said in the note.

Update: March 21, 2024, 10:11 a.m.: This article was updated to include an apology from Ford Fry sent after publication.

Marcel

1170 Howell Mill Road, , GA 30318 (404) 665-4555 Visit Website

Superica

605 Overton Street, , TN 37203 (615) 709-3148 Visit Website

Little Sparrow

, , (404) 355-2252 Visit Website

The Optimist

1400 Adams Street, , TN 37208 (615) 709-3156 Visit Website

Bar Blanc

1198 Howell Mill Road, , GA 30318 (404) 355-2252 Visit Website