As a business owner of a food truck and restaurant, I was hoping Chef's Touch would be a supportive place to grow. Instead, it became one of the most hostile and unsettling professional environments I've ever worked in.
From the start, the landlord, August Blass, was overbearing and inappropriate. He tried to control who I hired, telling me I shouldn't work with one of my own team members simply because he didn't like them. When I pushed back and told him he had no right to interfere with my staffing, he raised my rent from a $1000 rate to $5,000 per month--clearly as retaliation.
Also, he yelled at me directly on multiple occasions, sometimes in front of others. I witnessed him regularly shouting at his own staff as well--loud, aggressive behavior that created a toxic atmosphere. Several of his employees even confided in me that they hadn't been paid for weeks. Some hadn't seen a paycheck in over a month. No one should have to work under those conditions.
On top of all this, I saw August go into other tenants' kitchens while they were away and offer me their food--as if it were his to give away. I declined, but the fact that he felt comfortable entering other people's kitchens and touching their food without permission raised serious red flags about food safety and respect for other businesses.
This environment is not just unprofessional--it's unsafe, unethical, and deeply disrespectful to small food entrepreneurs who are working hard to build something. I would never recommend this space to anyone. I left because I refused to accept being bullied or compromised. I only wish someone had warned me before I signed up.
If you're a food business looking for a commissary kitchen, please protect yourself and look elsewhere. read more
