Cook Sues Hollywood Eatery for Alleged Discrimination

A Hollywood restaurant frequented by celebrities has been sued by a former cook who alleges she was discriminated against because she is gay and black and forced to quit after less than a month.

Keyon Wilson filed the suit Tuesday in Los Angeles Superior Court against Cleo restaurant and its parent company, SBE Entertainment Co. Along with discrimination, the allegations include wrongful constructive termination, harassment and intentional infliction of emotional distress. She is seeking unspecified damages.

A Cleo representative could not be immediately reached. Celebrities who have visited the eatery—located in The Redbury hotel at Hollywood and Vine—include Paris and Nicky Hilton, Hilary Duff, Jamie Foxx and Melanie Brown.

According to the complaint, Wilson began work at Cleo last Sept. 21. Almost immediately, fellow chefs and other employees subjected her to a barrage of inflammatory comments, including, "Get to the back of the bus, Rosa Parks," according to the suit.

The complaint also states Wilson was referred to as "ho" and a negative word commonly used against gay people.

Wilson says heterosexual employees were not subjected to such conduct.

After Wilson complained to human resources, she was retaliated against by being forced to take days off without pay, the suit states.

Wilson quit her job Oct. 5 in frustration and because she was unable to put up with further discrimination, harassment and retaliation, the suit states.

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