March 15, 2018
Wm. Mulherin’s Sons/Website
Inside the Wm. Mulherin’s Sons restaurant at the corner of Front and Master streets.
Chris Painter, the acclaimed chef at Wm. Mulherin's Sons in Fishtown who was suspended following allegations of sexual harassment from multiple former employees, no longer works with the restaurant, according to a report.
The lauded restaurant told Philly Mag on Thursday that it had "parted ways" with Painter, a co-partner at the restaurant, and three other employees accused of fostering a culture of sexual harassment there.
"We are committed to being a leader in the industry with regard to employee well-being and workplace culture which are of the upmost importance to us," the restaurant stated to Philly Mag.
The magazine first reported Painter's initial suspension earlier this month in a report detailing the allegations, which included accounts from multiple employees who described a work environment rife with discrimination and inappropriate sexual talk and contact.
One former employee told the magazine that the restaurant was "like walking into an episode of 'Mad Men' – the way that they view women, talk about women, treat women."
Painter is an industry veteran who partnered with Stephen Starr in 2011 to open the now-closed Italian eatery Il Pittore. He then opened Wm. Mulherin's Sons with Randall Cook and David Grasso in 2016.
In response to initially being notified of the allegations by Philly Mag, the restaurant had sent a statement, saying, "We are horrified by these allegations. As a company, we take any form of harassment or abuse extremely seriously."
