An embattled Sydney restaurateur continues to contact clients for bookings, despite stepping down as a director following his arrest for displaying a Nazi symbol at a pro-Palestine protest.
Al Yazbek continues to hold a 50 percent stake in the Nomad restaurant group and has been actively contacting clients to encourage Christmas reservations, despite being removed from day-to-day management.
Clients have revealed to the Daily Telegraph that Yazbek has been messaging and urging them to confirm Christmas bookings at Nomad in Sydney and Melbourne, aling with Victorian eateries Reine & La Rue.
He sparked national outrage last month after holding a sign made to look like the Israeli flag, but with a swastika the Star of David in the middle and the words ‘Stop Nazi Israel’.
He was arrested following the protest march in Sydney on October 6 that marked one year since the beginning of the war in Gaza and was later charged with displaying a Nazi symbol and pleaded guilty.
Yazbek is no longer company secretary director of Edition Hospitality, which was rebranded from the Nomad Group.
Mr Yazbek’s wife Rebecca was recently appointed sole director of Edition Hospitality in a damage control move in the wake of the saga.
It appears he is a silent partner in the company and has not cut ties.
Disgraced restauranteur Al Yazbek has been actively contacting clients to encourage Christmas reservations, despite being removed from day-to-day management. Mr Yazbek is pictured with his wife Rebecca
Mr Yazbek (pictured holding sign) was arrested on October 6 for displaying a Nazi symbol at a pro-Palestine protest in Sydney. He will be sentenced on December 10
A former Nomad patron and president of the Israel For Youth Foundation, Ronn Bechler, told the Daily Telegraph the restructuring of the hospitality group was ‘lipstick on a pig’.
‘Everyone who eats at, or contracts with, Reine & La Rue in Melbourne and Nomad restaurants in Melbourne and Sydney is funding the Yazbeks.’
‘Irrespective of what the head company is called or who is on its board,’ Mr Bechler said.
Following Yazbek displaying the Nazi symbol at the protest in October, Reine & La Rue’s co-head chef, Israeli-born Jew Rotem Papo, resigned.
Yazbek was allegedly involved in another controversy involving Jewish people.
The Australian reported earlier this month that Yazbek allegedly called his Jewish landlords ‘Shylock & Shylock’.
The publication reported Yazbek also described one of the landlord’s employees as ‘the little bald Jewish guy who works for you’.
Clients revealed Mr Yazbek has been messaging urging them to confirm Christmas bookings at Nomad in Sydney and Melbourne and Reine & La Rue, in Melbourne. Nomad Sydney is pictured
The comments were allegedly made in emails to Robert and Geula Burke, owners of the five-storey Surry Hills building that houses Nomad restaurant.
Ms Yazbek previously acknowledged that her husband behaved in a way that offended a lot of people.
‘We deeply regret the impact his actions have had on the community, and for that, we sincerely apologise,’ she said.
‘As both his wife and business partner, I was furious with his actions and heartbroken by the harm they caused.’
‘I fully understand the disappointment and frustration felt by those affected, and I am committed to doing everything possible to restore your trust.’
The couple built their high class restaurant group over the last decade with restaurants Nomad Sydney and Nomad Melbourne, as well as Reine & La Rue.
In a statement earlier this month, Ms Yazbek spoke of the restructuring of the hospitality group.
‘Nomad Group is already a successful company, I am confident this new structure will work towards our future success.’
‘This is the right time to move towards a new phase for my business,’ she said.
Celebrity accountant Anthony Bell, founder & CEO of Bell Partners has been appointed as a business adviser to the restaurant group.
Yazbek last month pleaded guilty to displaying a Nazi symbol.
He will be sentenced on December 10.
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