9-14-2023 7:30pm

Nobu Malibu Hostess Is Suing the Resturant, Alleging Sexual Harassment and Hostile Work Environment

Anita Johnson-Brown Editor

A lawsuit has been filed against Nobu Malibu, a luxurious waterfront Japanese sushi restaurant, by a hostess who claims to have experienced harassment, sexual assault battery, and retaliation. The complainant, Jane Doe, alleges that her ex-supervisor Marcus made inappropriate remarks and engaged in unwanted physical contact with her and other employees. It is further alleged that Nobu Malibu did not take sufficient steps to protect its staff from these unwelcome advances, partly due to the requirement of wearing "scantily clad black uniforms" as part of their "please the customer first" philosophy. In addition to enduring ongoing harassment from the bar manager, Doe claims that Nobu Malibu created a hostile work environment and failed to address her concerns despite her attempts to seek resolution with management.

Nobu Malibu is an upscale establishment owned by renowned chef Nobu Matsuhisa and actor Robert DeNiro. It is part of a multinational chain of restaurants and hotels and attracts a high-profile clientele that includes top celebrities like Justin Bieber, Britney Spears, Selena Gomez, Lebron James, and Travis Scott.

The lawsuit alleges the complainant and other hostesses are “actively encouraged to flirt with guests and brush off and ignore inappropriate interactions or uncomfortable stares and ogling.” It states further that as a part of its business model, Nobu management allegedly expects “its female hostesses to endure harassment from customers, allowing predators, internal and external, to feel emboldened in abusing hostesses without reproach.”

According to the complaint, the plaintiff has made claims of gender-based discrimination and asserts that only female employees were required to wear revealing uniforms, which she believes contributed to unwelcome advances and workplace harassment. The plaintiff began her employment in June 2020 and states that shortly after, she became a target of the bar manager, Marcus. The complaint alleges that Marcus attempted to contact her via cell phone.

Furthermore, the plaintiff alleges that in early 2021, while intoxicated, Marcus grabbed her forcefully, restrained her hands, and kissed her neck. On another occasion at the hostess stand, Marcus allegedly grabbed her hips and kissed her neck again. Additionally, it is claimed that he would brush against her buttocks as he walked by under the guise of being in close quarters.

The plaintiff joined other female hostesses in attempting to file complaints with the restaurant's general manager. Allegedly, their concerns were met with a promise to investigate. Although Marcus was terminated in early 2022 due to these complaints, Doe asserts that management continued allowing him into the establishment as a customer.

Following Marcus's termination, the plaintiff is making claims that Nobu's human resources department provided the hostesses with a document requiring their signatures to acknowledge their satisfaction with the restaurant's investigation. However, according to the plaintiff, no one inquired about their sense of safety at work or whether the investigation addressed their complaints. Over several months following his termination, Marcus allegedly continued to visit Nobu Malibu, which reportedly led one of the plaintiff's coworkers to experience an emotional breakdown. The lawsuit states that after lodging a complaint about Marcus's presence at the restaurant after his termination, management allegedly retaliated by assigning her less desirable weekend shifts. Jane Doe, the plaintiff in this case, remains employed at Nobu Malibu as per Bernard Alexander, her attorney.

We have attempted to contact Nobu Malibu for comment and have not received a response before this story was published.

By Anita Johnson-Brown