A celebrity chef kicked up a social media storm against the first daughter and a Washington restauranteur over a guest list mix-up at a joint that serves $19 bagels.
Chef Jose Andres is now saying “let’s all be friends” after he posted a grimacing selfie outside of Cafe Milano, the tony Georgetown restaurant where he said he was given the boot thanks to the restaurant’s owner, Franco Nuschese, and Ivanka Trump.
Andres, one of Washington’s most influential restauranteurs, alleged that following the 2018 Alfalfa Club dinner (a yearly banquet for American elite in Washington), he was not allowed into the after party hosted at the restaurant.
“I was a guest of the #alfalfaclubdinner2018 ‘everyone’ welcome to the after party, but I’m the only individual not allow in? Is because @IvankaTrump told you so? You should be ashamed of yourself Franco,” Andres tweeted Saturday night.
A source close to Ivanka Trump told CNN, “This never happened.” Attempts to reach Andres and Nuschese were unsuccessful.
Andres, a frequent critic of President Donald Trump, backed out of a deal to open a restaurant inside the Trump International Hotel in Washington after Trump called undocumented Mexican immigrants “rapists” and “criminals” in his 2015 speech announcing his bid for president.
On Sunday, Andres said Ivanka Trump had reached out to him.
“I believe now that you personally had nothing to do,” he tweeted. “Let’s now work on what’s important: Immigration reform, where #DACADreamers and Undocumented citizens will become part of a strong USA. With secure borders. With economic growth.”
The Cafe Milano Twitter account also chalked up the snub to a “misunderstanding.”
Andres thanked the restaurant for the apology, but added that it was “still hard to understand why I was the only person not allowed in!”
“Now let’s all be friends,” he added.