Fired Chef Speaks Out After Clash With Influencer

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Tensions simmered between a food influencer and a chef at a Bay Area wine bar.

As a devoted follower, I can’t help but share my own take on a recent incident involving TikToker Karla and Kis Café. You see, there was this unfortunate collaboration that took a turn for the worst due to an uncomfortable encounter with Luke Sung, co-owner and chef of the establishment. In his presence, he reportedly spoke disrespectfully about her to the host, a fact she overheard. Left with no other choice, Karla tearfully exited the restaurant. Now, it appears that the chef, who is no longer associated with Kis Café, has extended an apology for the incident.

Luke expressed his sincere apologies on Kis Café’s Instagram: ‘I was disrespectful, harsh, and overbearing towards Karla.’ He acknowledged that she should not have been made to feel insignificant or unimportant. He added that although he regrets his behavior, he is grateful for the lesson in empathy and respect that she has taught him.

He stated, ‘I find no justifications left; I’m determined to leave Kis Cafe forever and in every role.’

Luke acknowledged that he bore sole accountability for the way things unfolded. He continued, “Many of the restaurant staff have been colleagues of mine for a long time,” and went on to say, “They are truly remarkable individuals who should not endure hardships because of my actions.

The apology follows the spread of Karla’s video summarizing an uncomfortable interaction – an incident she claimed happened when she was invited for a collaboration with the restaurant but was rejected based on her number of followers – gaining widespread attention online.

Karla recounted in a July 23 TikTok post that he firmly expressed his dissatisfaction to the host, stating that my invitation was unnecessary, it was a mistake, and it had led to a bad situation. By this point, she was turning red from embarrassment and feeling disrespected.

In due course, the chef approached her for a conversation. However, following their handshake and her enthusiastic remarks about the partnership, Karla found herself facing a barrage of inquiries regarding the extent of her research on their restaurant.

After confessing that she knew only a minimal amount about the newly-opened wine bar since it didn’t have a website yet, Karla mentioned that the chef had expressed some criticism regarding her work.

She claimed that he began browsing and blaring her TikToks in a restaurant. After scrolling through them twice, he told her that he felt her videos weren’t up to the standard he wanted his restaurant to project.

She added, “He implied that neither my audience nor my followers are the type who would dine at his eatery. It appeared as though he was suggesting that they might not have the financial means for such an establishment.

After some back-and-forth discussions, Karla ultimately chose to withdraw entirely from the collaboration and tearfully conveyed her feelings of being disregarded.

In the video, she clarified that they were discussing her and disparaging her projects, even though she was present. Additionally, she shared that he expressed being offended because she entered without first introducing herself to him.

TopMob News has reached out to Karla, Luke and Kis Café for comment but has not heard back.

Shortly following Karla’s viral video post aimed at supporting local micro influencers, the restaurant acknowledged the incident via their social media platforms.

At Kis Cafe, we’ve decided that our chef’s actions were not acceptable and as a result, he is no longer associated with us in any capacity – whether it be co-owner, chef or otherwise. In this Instagram post dated July 24th, we have shared this update. We want to add that Luke has since contacted the creator and offered a personal apology.

The actions displayed don’t align with the rest of our team’s conduct. We strive to foster an environment that is inclusive and considerate for all. Unfortunately, in this particular case, we didn’t succeed in maintaining such an atmosphere.

As a lifestyle connoisseur, I must share an update about the recently established Hayes Valley wine bar. Despite its brief tenure of just a few weeks, the team has announced a temporary closure.

The announcement stated that we will be closing temporarily for restructuring following these events. During this time, it is our goal to continue supporting our team members and their families. We acknowledge your feelings of annoyance and resentment, but we kindly ask you not to exploit this situation by promoting racism or hate speech against us and our loved ones.

For more recent controversies, keep reading.

In 2023, it was Colleen Ballinger, not her YouTube character, who encountered controversy. Known for her character Miranda Sings, she faced accusations of grooming and inappropriate relationships with underage fans.

YouTuber KodeeRants, in a now-deleted video titled “why I left the Colleen Ballinger fandom…”, shared screenshots claiming to be from text conversations between Colleen and her followers, suggesting she was exploiting them. The authenticity of these screenshots couldn’t be verified by NBC News.

Later, content creator Adam McIntyre, who initially ran a fan account for Miranda Sings at age 10, posted videos on his YouTube channel accusing Ballinger of emotionally grooming her fans.

Ballinger has not directly responded to these claims, nor did she respond to TopMob News’ request for comment. However, she addressed the allegations in a 10-minute ukulele song uploaded to her personal YouTube account. In this video, she likened the accusations to a “toxic gossip train” heading towards “manipulation station,” and compared the rest of the internet to people who would tie her to the tracks and harass her for her past.

Following these allegations, the remaining dates of her Miranda Sings tour were canceled, and she hasn’t posted on social media since July.

The discussion began when the author of “Girl, Wash Your Face” shared a post about her house cleaner, which eventually became messier. In a resurfaced video by Angie Treasure, Hollis referred to an April 2021 livestream where she talked about a woman who “cleans the toilets,” mentioning that someone commented, “You’re privileged AF,” to which she responded, “You’re right. I’m super freaking privileged, but also I worked my ass off to have someone come twice a week and clean my toilets” and then added that the person was unrelatable.

Hollis further explained that she had no interest in being relatable, using examples like Harriet Tubman, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Marie Curie, and Oprah Winfrey as “unrelatable AF.” However, it’s important to note that while selling millions of books is impressive, Hollis is not an abolitionist icon like Harriet Tubman.

A few days later, Hollis issued an Instagram apology, stating, “I know I’ve caused tremendous pain in mentioning prominent women—including several women of color—whose struggles and achievements I can’t possibly understand.” She also acknowledged disregarding the hard work of people who don’t have financial security due to systemic racism and bias.

The author of “Girl, Stop Apologizing” concluded her apology by saying, “The important thing for me to do now, something I should have already done, is honestly, be quiet and listen.

In March 2020, the creator of Something Navy clothing line and original blogger shared with her Instagram followers that she had tested positive for COVID-19, intending to self-isolate in her Manhattan apartment alongside her husband Brandon Charnas and daughters Ruby and Esme. However, after eight days, her entire household – including their nanny – relocated to the Hamptons.

To put it mildly, this didn’t reflect well on her. The comments on her Instagram page grew progressively heated as she showcased her outdoor walks instead of adhering to social distancing guidelines.

When her husband cracked that only “hot” people were getting the virus, emotions boiled over.  

Later on, she publicly issued a detailed apology acknowledging several issues – their nanny also fell ill with the virus, they arranged for doormen to clear their building lobby before leaving, avoided filling up at gas stations, and had groceries delivered; her Hamptons home was situated on a less crowded street. However, the harm inflicted by her actions persisted.

After Nordstrom decided not to renew Charnas’ contract that expired in 2019, she shifted her focus to a direct-to-consumer relaunch, stating “I desired more control.” Now, she’s back to promoting her favorite Shopbop items and partnerships with A Pea in the Pod.

On ‘The Glossy Podcast’, she admitted, “People expected me to be more mindful of global events, and I should have been.

In 2020, fashion blogger Emily Gellis Lande publicly criticized registered dietitian Elisabeth Zuckerbrot. Through a series of posts, Gellis Lande shared unverified anecdotes from dieters who claimed they had spent large sums on the F-Factor Diet developed by Zuckerbrot in New York and experienced various health issues such as rashes, severe cramps, signs of metal poisoning, and even a miscarriage. This controversy caught the attention of The New York Times, which published an article about it.

Zuckerbrot, represented by lawyer Lanny Davis who once served as White House special counsel to former president Bill Clinton, denied these allegations and argued that her plan did not cause disordered eating. She said that out of over 176,000 purchases of her snack bars and powders, she had only received 50 health complaints. Zuckerbrot later provided a Certificate of Analysis to address concerns about heavy metals in her products and appeared on Today to further defend her program.

Zuckerbrot is unimpressed with Gellis Lande’s crusade. “I think she believes she’s helping people, but she thinks the lifestyle I lead is poisoning everyone and giving them anorexia,” Zuckerbrot told The New York Times. “But she’s a fashion blogger.”

Zuckerbrot has filed two lawsuits against Gellis Lande, accusing her of launching a smear campaign to damage her brand. Both suits are currently pending, and Gellis Lande denies these claims.

In 2020, many parts of the world experienced a significant racial awakening. However, it was Jessica Mulroney, a friend of Meghan Markle, who received a wake-up call. Sasha Exeter, a lifestyle blogger, explained in a nearly 12-minute Instagram video that her issues with Mulroney began when she asked for support in combating racial injustice. Exeter claimed that Mulroney took offense to this request and engaged in problematic behavior, such as speaking negatively about Exeter to other brands and making a threat. Though Mulroney apologized on Instagram, she later sent a message that Exeter shared, which read, “Liable [sic] suit. Good luck.”

Mulroney issued an apology to her followers and announced her intentions to amplify Black voices by giving them control of her social media account. However, CTV decided to cancel her reality show, I Do, Redo. Ben Mulroney, Jessica’s husband, stepped down from his role as co-host on CTV’s eTalk, stating that he hoped a new host who is Black, Indigenous, or a person of color would use the platform to inspire and make change. Despite this, Jessica was able to keep her high-profile friendship with Meghan Markle, writing in a since-deleted post, “Meghan and I are family.

Famous for hit movies like “I DUCT TAPED My Brothers $400,000 Dollar TRUCK!” and being dismissed from Disney Channel’s Bizaardvark, the Vine star turned YouTube sensation moved up to higher stakes in 2020.

On August 5, FBI agents executed a federal search warrant at Paul’s home in Calabasas, California, confirming it was related to an incident on May 30 at a Scottsdale, Arizona mall. The authorities stated that Paul violated the law by entering and remaining inside the shopping center after being ordered to leave following a Black Lives Matter protest at the city’s Fashion Square Mall. (Paul defended himself on Twitter, stating that while he was documenting the protest, neither he nor his group were involved in any looting or vandalism.)

Speculation about the reason for the FBI raid grew as large as Paul’s YouTube following, with video from a local ABC station showing multiple firearms being taken away by police. In an August 12 video since deleted, Paul claimed that the search was “entirely related to the Arizona looting situation and is part of an investigation. There are rumors about it having to do with other matters that have nothing to do with me or my character, but the speculation people are making up is ridiculous.”

Although no charges were filed, Paul’s attorney told TopMob News in a statement that they would “cooperate with the investigation.

Over a year since reconciling with beauty vlogger Tati Westbrook, the YouTube star found himself embroiled in fresh conflicts. In a subtle tweet about celebrities launching makeup lines in August 2020, he implied that singer Alicia Keys, who rarely wears makeup, shouldn’t have a skincare line, later expressing regret as he acknowledged he’s not the arbiter of cosmetics. However, less than two weeks later, he found himself in another predicament when he criticized Lauren Conrad’s new beauty line on Instagram Stories. He displayed empty packaging from a new makeup brand belonging to The Hills alum, insinuating she had no business having a makeup line.

Conrad humorously admitted her error on Instagram by blaming the person responsible for organizing gifts, who had mistakenly included an empty bag of samples in the shipment. “When beauty products arrived and it was time to fill all the makeup bags, I (again, me) accidentally included the bag full of empties with the others and it was sent out,” Conrad explained. “She will be let go immediately.”

Charles eventually apologized, stating that the videos were meant to be humorous and sharing that he had privately resolved the misunderstanding with Conrad. Despite his apology, it’s evident that he is well aware of the mistake he made.

In my personal perspective, when I, a dedicated follower, tuned into James and my beloved vlogger’s May 2020 video, I was taken aback by their heartfelt admission that the video was one of the hardest they had ever made. It quickly became clear that this wasn’t about sharing their newborn nighttime routine or diet tips; instead, they were disclosing a deeply personal and challenging situation. They revealed that they had placed their then-4-year-old son Huxley, whom they adopted from China in 2017, with his forever family due to the challenges of managing his autism.

The reaction among their nearly one million subscribers was intense, ranging from outrage to debates about whether this couple, parents to four other children, were either naive or had exploited Huxley for clicks and donations, only to discard him when his care became too demanding. The fallout was swift, with losses in followers and brand collaborators such as Fabletics, Suave, Danimals, announcing that they were ending their partnerships. Even the Ohio Delaware County Sheriff’s Office confirmed they were investigating Huxley’s well-being to TopMob News.

In late June, authorities declared that they had closed their case without any charges. However, Myka’s brand still remains inactive, with no posts on YouTube or Instagram since her lengthy statement expressing remorse for her naivety during the adoption process and clarifying that they were not under any investigation.

Title trip across country turns tumultuous for TikTok stars Hall and Hossler

“Although I’ve made errors in judgment, I am learning and growing. I promise to make you proud.

In October 2019, YouTube personalities, the Stokes Twins, pulled off a prank that wasn’t as innocent as it seemed. Dressed in black, pretending to be bank robbers, they called an Uber and acted like they needed a getaway driver. The unsuspecting Uber driver was not amused and refused to leave, leading a bystander to call the police.

When the Irvine police arrived, they ordered the Uber driver out at gunpoint. However, once it was clear he was innocent, the driver was released. The police then cautioned the Stokes Twins about the potential dangers of their prank.

Later that day, the twins allegedly repeated the prank on the University of California, Irvine campus, which led to their arrest. If convicted on charges of false imprisonment and swatting (making a false report to emergency services), they could have faced up to four years in prison. However, due to the outrage caused by their actions, Orange County D.A. Todd Spitzer expressed his disapproval, stating that these pranks could have resulted in serious injury or even death.

In 2020, their lawyer declared their innocence, but they eventually pled guilty to lesser charges of misdemeanor false imprisonment and reporting false emergencies. As a result, they were sentenced to 160 hours of community service and one year of probation.

In a turn of events, the YouTuber famously known for his extensive videos and boasting over 34 million followers, Dawson, was dethroned from his YouTube dominance in June 2020. This followed an inflammatory tweet he posted, later deleted, expressing disdain towards the online beauty community, specifically calling out James Charles. In this tweet, he accused them of being overly attention-seeking, manipulative, egotistical, and vengeful, among other things.

His followers were quick to respond, suggesting that those who reside in glass houses should not throw stones. Within a few days, Dawson posted a 20-minute video titled “Taking Accountability,” expressing remorse for his past actions, including using blackface, making racist remarks and jokes, promoting pedophilia, and sexualizing then-11-year-old Willow Smith in a video.

He acknowledged that this video was an attempt to take responsibility for his wrongdoings on the internet, stating “I have done many things in my past that I deeply regret.” He further admitted that he should have faced consequences for these actions. As a result, YouTube temporarily suspended his ability to monetize his three accounts.

Dawson returned to content creation in 2021, expressing gratitude for being “canceled,” as it significantly impacted his life positively.

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2025-07-28 16:48