Stolen SALT? Restaurant Now Being Operated by Landlord, Former Employee

Cat Nelson | Sep 8, 2013 12:47 pm | 12 comments | 6461 reads

After announcing unexpectedly on August 27 that it would be leaving the Lido area location it had occupied for six years, SALT informed the Beijinger on Saturday afternoon that the restaurant would be operating again on Sunday under the SALT name, however without the knowledge or permission of owner Gaby Alves.

Jennifer Eden, SALT's marketing director, said former assistant manager Lucy Wang, landlord Mr. Xin and SALT's now-former lawyer have colluded in this move. "They have effectively stolen our business and are operating completely illegally," Eden said in a statement released this morning. She said she first noticed that the space was in use when she swung by the area the other day and noticed a window was open in the restaurant.

Contacted by the Beijinger, Wang commented that the "The former management owes money for salary, rent, distributors and we have proof." Wang said that she is not the manager, but is in fact a shareholder in the business. Mr. Xin could not be reached for comment.

In late August, SALT said that it intended to move, but not until after a few days of customers arriving to find the doors closed. "After six great years at 9 Jiangtai Xi Lu in Lido, SALT restaurant is moving house," said in a statement.

"Several new locations are currently being considered, and I will keep you up to date via saltrestaurantbeijing.com and direct email," Eden said via e-mail. No timetable was given as to when that new venue might appear, but Eden said that SALT's catering services would continue as normal.

Photo: SALT

Comments

New comments are displayed first.

Comments

The Beijing Deva's picture The Beijing Deva Submitted by Guest on Wed, 09/11/2013 - 17:27

I passed by yesterday and they were working on the signage.

I didn't really pay attention properly but it initially looked as though they were just adding another word next to the existing sign to make it something like 'Salt Spring'.

On the way back I noticed there was in fact some old SALT signage that had been removed and the new stuff bears no resemblance to what went before with different font and colour schemes.

This is obviously a bit opportunistic by the landlord and former manager but it doesnt at first appear that they have stolen '盐SALT Contemporary Cuisine'. I never ate there and I know the place is now a completely different restaraunt so you would have to be a complete idiot to still think it was the same place.

TX_Chick's picture TX_Chick Submitted by Guest on Wed, 09/11/2013 - 11:47

The plot thickens: http://www.saltrestaurantbeijing.com/contact-us/

URGENT NEWS – SALT IN LIDO IS A FAKE!
盐SALT Contemporary Cuisine has just become aware that ex-employee Lucy Wang (who had been working for SALT for 7 years until she quit in February) and landlord Mr Xin (who forced us to leave our location by doubling the rent and previously demanding extra payments for the past 3 years) will open their own restaurant today at 9 Jiangtai Xi Lu, pretending to be 盐SALT Contemporary Cuisine.

Please be aware that this restaurant is not 盐SALT Contemporary Cuisine. We closed our Lido branch two weeks ago.

They have effectively stolen our business and are operating completely illegally.

The name 盐SALT Contemporary Cuisine is patented and trademarked by Gaby Alves and the business is 100% owned and operated by Gaby and her team.

盐SALT Contemporary Cuisine continues to operate our excellent catering services from 盐SALT Private Kitchens at Sanlitun and 798 under the leadership of 盐SALT Executive Chef Camila Betin and management of Gaby Alves, Jennifer Eden and Mu Yu.

We have a large team of professional staff to ensure that your event is simply brilliant. Contact 15611080348 or email us info@saltrestaurantbeijing.com for more information.

admin's picture admin Submitted by Guest on Tue, 09/10/2013 - 20:59

Hammertime:

1. Perhaps you are unfamiliar with the Question Mark. It looks like this: ? and it is defined in the dictionary like this:

 

the punctuation mark ? , 
used at the end of questions 
and in other contexts 
where doubt or ignorance is implied

As it's written, "Stolen Salt?" with a question mark at the end is used exactly as the dictionary states: to imply doubt or ignorance on our part (as we do not know the full story of the dispute).

2. As for us taking sides, we've tried to present both sides of the story to the best of our ability. However, as stated above, I have fully discolsed that we have had [overwhelmingly positive] business dealings with one side of this dispute for about 10 years, and up until the last couple of days, have not had any business dealings with the other side. I'd say its human nature to have trust in people you have had a long-term business relationship with and be somewhat skeptical of people you have not ever done business with, The race of the parties involved has nothing to do with the equation. 

3. You might also be interested to know the owner of this site and our business is not "white," she is "yellow." Most of the employees here are "yellow." You seem awfully hostile towards "whites" and are certainly quick to draw conclusions about our alleged racist bias. Have you considered that perhaps you are the racist in this situation? 

 

 

Books by current and former Beijinger staffers

http://astore.amazon.com/truerunmedia-20

hammertime's picture hammertime Submitted by Guest on Tue, 09/10/2013 - 17:40

admin wrote:

We are trying to be fair to all sides given that we're not an investigative news agency.

And then they put as title:

Stolen SALT?

yeah,,, that's nowhere near fairness.

The owners of this site are white, so it is obvious that they will automatically side with other whites, including the former owner of the restaurant, no matter what, even without substantial proof. Just look at their forum. It's filled with racist comments that would fit perfectly in Stormfornt, and those are simply ingnored by the Admin.

But concerning the story, who would you believe in those circumstances? A group of racists or a group of thieves?

admin's picture admin Submitted by Guest on Sun, 09/08/2013 - 20:23

BumbleBeeTou wrote:

Steven Schwankert wrote:

Contacted by the Beijinger, Wang commented that the "The former management owes money for salary, rent, distributors and we have proof." Wang said that she is not the manager, but is in fact a shareholder in the business. Mr. Xin could not be reached for comment.

So if Ms. Wang said this of the former management, why wasn't said former management contacted and asked for their take on alleged owed rents and salaries?

Former management was contacted. They said the problem was with Ms Wang.

So we have a contradiction (not surprising in business).

We are trying to be fair to all sides given that we're not an investigative news agency. 

In the interest of full disclosure I can tell you that we have done business with the people who founded SALT (both with SALT and with other establishments they've founded in Beijing) 10 years and have found them to be reliable people.

We don't know much about Ms Wang.

Books by current and former Beijinger staffers

http://astore.amazon.com/truerunmedia-20

BumbleBeeTou's picture BumbleBeeTou Submitted by Guest on Sun, 09/08/2013 - 16:35

Steven Schwankert wrote:

Contacted by the Beijinger, Wang commented that the "The former management owes money for salary, rent, distributors and we have proof." Wang said that she is not the manager, but is in fact a shareholder in the business. Mr. Xin could not be reached for comment.

So if Ms. Wang said this of the former management, why wasn't said former management contacted and asked for their take on alleged owed rents and salaries?

Is it that, once again, the Beijinger is taking the foreigners side, and not looking to Ms. Eden for a quote simply so readers are left to assume that the Chinese side are lying?

Easy to believe, seeing as what happened with their reporting on the events at Veggie Table. Remeber that? Where TBJ failed to do any due diligence what-so-ever and ended up being threaterned with a law suit?

Then again, this is TBJ. Can't really use the word 'reporting' for anything their team writes. More like gossip mongering and Chinese whispers. *secret*

Validate your mobile phone number to post comments.