Governor Gwen Garcia with Chef Jason Atherton. Governor Gwendolyn Garcia | Facebook

The Governor of Cebu, Gwendolyn Garcia, publicly criticized the owners of a resto bar in Cebu City when some of its members, including a manager, allegedly engaged in a fight involving Dubai restaurateur and celebrity chef Jason Atherton. In a post on her official Facebook page, Garcia defended Atherton, who suffered facial bruises after being beaten up on December 23. Atherton, who owns a restaurant in Cebu, is married to a Cebuana, Irha Atherton, who was with him and his daughter on the night of the altercation. Garcia claims that after learning that a group of guys had harassed his daughter, the British chef demanded an apology from them. However, the argument turned violent. The governor mentioned that a few bouncers and one of the restaurant's managers also participated in the "melee". Garcia said, "This gracious, gifted man certainly did not deserve the shameful treatment he got, right here in Cebu." In an official statement on Wednesday (December 28), F Cafe & Bar strongly denied the allegations involving their staff in the altercation, stating that their side was never sought. The cafe also said that the CCTV footage showed Chef Atherton initiating the attack against the other group. F Cafe & Bar official statement The Mabolo Police Station reported that the two parties resolved the situation the same evening. As of Wednesday (December 28), they said neither party had filed formal complaints with their station. Jason Atherton is an internationally acclaimed British chef and restaurateur who was awarded a Michelin Star for his flagship restaurant, Pollen Street Social. He first arrived in Dubai in 2001 to work for Gordon Ramsay's fine dining restaurant, Verre, at the now defunct Hilton Dubai Creek. In 2010, Atherton opened his own restaurant company, The Social Company and has since opened several successful restaurants around the world, including Dubai, London, Hong Kong and Cebu. BKM/ Expat Media
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