John Besh Steps Down Amid Sexual-Harassment Claims

Celebrity chef John Besh has resigned from a company he founded in New Orleans after more than two dozen women alleged they faced sexual harassment while working there. “John has decided to step down from all aspects of operations and to provide his full focus on his family,” Shannon White, who has taken over as chief executive of Besh Restaurant Group, told employees Monday, The New York Times reported. Besh’s resignation came after a report by The Times-Picayune and NOLA.com detailed sexual-harassment claims made by 25 current and former employees. The women cited in that report said they endured inappropriate touching and sexual remarks, and in some cases, male managers allegedly used their positions for sex. The report prompted Harrah’s New Orleans Casino to sever ties with the Besh restaurant chain Sunday, saying it would rename its Besh Steak restaurant. On Monday, the Besh Restaurant Group announced it would conduct an outside review into “unreported claims” of misconduct, create an employee advisory committee, and update its sexual-harassment policies.