What happens behind kitchen doors at a Michelin-starred restaurant?
I found myself asking that question over and over again while reporting this story about Ebbe, the Tampa restaurant from Swedish chef Ebbe Vollmer.
The piece chronicles the meteoric rise of the Nordic-inspired tasting menu restaurant, which managed to net a coveted Michelin star within its first year of business. But behind the scenes, I was told, a different story was unfolding.
Throughout my reporting I spoke with 11 former and current employees of Ebbe. In multiple on-the-record interviews, the workers, most of whom were trained chefs, detailed a hectic workplace where they were tasked with running all aspects of the restaurant — from cooking and serving customers to washing dishes, cleaning bathrooms and dealing with administrative duties.
Many described discrepancies and delays in their paychecks, constant staff turnover and evenings where they’d have to scramble for last-minute ingredient deliveries and pay for them themselves.
Stories like this take time: I spent the last several months speaking with employees and another month going back and forth over text and email with Vollmer, who said he was “surprised by the overall characterization” relayed by his former employees, while noting the restaurant’s challenging work environment.
I hope you’ll give it a good read, and reach out to me if you have any questions or comments.
The Times is committed to covering Tampa Bay’s restaurant landscape from all angles, and that includes the experiences of service workers. If you have a story you’d like to share, email me at hfreund@tampabay.com. You can also message me securely on Signal at helenfreund.23
