Le P'tit Breton in the news (SunDay Times) today.
Customer forced out of restaurant after spat with chef
She had 'complained loudly' when told drinks from outside were not allowed
By Sarah Ng
Sep 10, 2006
The Straits Times
A QUIET dinner at a quiet restaurant in Upper Thomson Road turned ugly on Friday night when a spat broke out between the chef and a customer.
Teacher Ang Ai Min, 43, claims she was left with bruises on both her arms after the chef at the Le P'tit Breton, a French crepe restaurant at Thomson Imperial Court, physically forced her from the premises during an argument.
The problem started because Mrs Ang's two sons had brought a drink into the restaurant.
The co-owner of the two-year-old restaurant, Ms Sabrina Tan, 42, told her that drinks bought outside were not allowed in the eatery.
Ms Tan said: 'She told me off and said that I was picky.
'She also said that her sons did not drink in the restaurant. Then she stood up and said loudly that she was not eating at our restaurant anymore.'
Ms Tan said that Mrs Ang was still complaining loudly when she walked past the open-concept kitchen in the middle of the restaurant.
'Our chef told her to keep quiet, but she continued with her complaining and was taking her time to leave the restaurant,' said Ms Tan.
Mrs Ang alleges that the chef then grabbed her and forced her out.
She told The Sunday Times yesterday: 'We were leaving when the chef waved a spatula at me and told me that I can't talk so loudly in his restaurant. He also told me to get out.
'So I asked him why I can't talk loudly, and before I knew it he grabbed my arms from behind and yanked me out of the door,' she said.
'It all happened so quickly. I was so shocked that I didn't even scream for help.'
She called the police while outside the restaurant and later went to see a doctor for her bruises.
'I want people to know that such behaviour is unacceptable. How can anyone lay his hands on another person, not to mention using brute force on a customer?' she said.
Ms Tan said: 'The chef probably grabbed her arms, but it was not for no reason.'
She said that Mrs Ang had created a scene by complaining so loudly inside the quiet, 24-seater restaurant while making her way out.
She added: 'Our restaurant is a small and cosy place with a quiet ambience and we have to consider how other diners might feel about the noise.'
The police confirmed that they received a call from Mrs Ang at 7.35pm on Friday.
They will be following up with the case.