UPDATE 7:00 p.m.: Despite the response from the restaurant, José Andrés said Sunday evening that he stands by his account of the evening — that Ivanka Trump asked for Andrés to be removed from the party because his presence made her uncomfortable.
Let’s not confuse my trying to Be generous and move on, with anything else. What happened happened and I stand by my account. I’m ready to move on. @washingtonpost @CafeMilanoDC let’s talk #ImmigrationReform @realdonaldtrump #DACADreamers
— José Andrés (@chefjoseandres) January 28, 2018
UPDATE 2:30 p.m.: Cafe Milano owner Franco Nuschesse tweeted Sunday afternoon in response to claims that Andrés was removed from a party at the restaurant, saying that Andrés “is always welcome” and that Ivanka Trump played no role in the “misunderstanding” that resulted in Andrés being removed.
. @chefjoseandres, you are always welcome at @CafeMilanoDC when we are open and in fact, I will host you and toast to all your successes.I am sorry for the misunderstanding.Last night the restaurant was closed for a private Alfalfa Dinner after party…1/2
— Cafe Milano (@CafeMilanoDC) January 28, 2018
Of note, the dinner and after party are different guest lists. Also, Ivanka Trump had no role on determining event attendees. Franco 2/2
— Cafe Milano (@CafeMilanoDC) January 28, 2018
Ivanka also apparently reached out to the celebrity chef, who said in a tweet Sunday that he now believes she had nothing to do with the incident, and took the opportunity to push for solution on DACA.
Thank you @IvankaTrump for reaching out. I believe now that you personally had nothing to do.
Let’s now work on what’s important: Immigration reform, where #DACADreamers and Undocumented citizens will become part of a strong USA. With secure borders. With economic growth.👍🏼— José Andrés (@chefjoseandres) January 28, 2018
Celebrity chef, activist, and Trump agitator José Andrés was reportedly asked to leave a party Saturday night because his presence was making First Daughter Ivanka Trump uncomfortable.
Andrés tweeted about the incident Saturday night, saying, “I’m the only individual not allow [sic] in? Is because @IvankaTrump told you so? You should be ashamed of yourself.”
Thank you @CafeMilanoDC Franco Nuschese! I was a guest of the #alfalfaclubdinner2018 “everyone”welcome to the after party, but I’m the only individual not allow in? Is because @IvankaTrump told you so? You should be ashamed of yourself Franco.@washingtonpost pic.twitter.com/iJ5wQM18Z6
— José Andrés (@chefjoseandres) January 28, 2018
Former Mexican ambassador to China Jorge Guajardo said on Twitter Sunday morning that Andrés was in fact asked to leave because “his presence made Ivanka Trump uncomfortable.”
In a new low for Washington, yesterday @chefjoseandres was asked to leave the Alfalfa dinner after-party at @CafeMilanoDC by its owner, Franco Nuschesse, apparently because his presence made Ivanka Trump uncomfortable (Cafe Milano is the watering hole of the Trump Admin).
— Jorge Guajardo (@jorge_guajardo) January 28, 2018
According to Guajardo, when Ivanka arrived at the party, Cafe Milano owner Franco Nuschesse asked to speak with Andrés outside and then Andrés was not allowed back in.
At the Alfalfa dinner, Franco came up to Jose Andres and gave him a friendly kiss. A little later he would be asked to do the Trump’s dirty work and, like Judas, betray an old friend.
— Jorge Guajardo (@jorge_guajardo) January 28, 2018
Ivanka currently works in the White House, serving her father as an adviser, and Andrés has a testy history with the family.
In 2015, after Trump announced his candidacy and made racist comments about Mexicans, Andrés pulled out of a restaurant deal. He had planned to open a new Spanish-Japanese joint in D.C.’s Trump hotel, and he had reportedly worked on the restaurant design with Ivanka Trump herself. But it fell apart after Trump’s racist remarks, and the Trump Organization sued.
The parties reached a settlement last spring.
In the months since, Andrés has been spending much of his time feeding people in need in Puerto Rico, where the island is still feeling the effects of a devastating hurricane season. The chef developed a network of kitchens, supply chains, and delivery services, serving up more than 2.2 million warm meals to people in Puerto Rico.
As The New York Times put it, “No other single agency — not the Red Cross, the Salvation Army nor any government entity — has fed more people freshly cooked food since the hurricane, or done it in such a nurturing way.”
Andrés has also been vocal about immigrant issues, closing all but one of his D.C. restaurants on a “day without immigrants,” and offered a free drink to staffers of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau in the midst of a chaotic fight about who the agency’s director was.
Most recently, the chef offered to buy lunch for the winners of Trump’s Fake News Awards.
To all the winners for Mondays’s Dishonest and Corrupt Media Awards of @realdonaldtrump I want to contribute with lunch on me in any of my restaurants as a reward…. https://t.co/LuCkd0c1pG
— José Andrés (@chefjoseandres) January 7, 2018
The White House declined to comment on the record about Saturday night’s party incident, but an unnamed official told Politico that the story was “absolutely not true.”