Puerto Rico hero allegedly banned from party at Ivanka Trump's behest
Chef Jose Andres was a hero for Puerto Rico following Hurricane Maria. But he was also a critic of Donald Trump and to this family, that’s all that matters.
Ugly politics marred a celebration following the annual non-partisan Alfalfa Club Dinner Saturday night, as Trump critic and activist celebrity chef Jose Andres was banned from an after-party, allegedly at Ivanka Trump’s insistence.
Jorge Guajardo, former Mexican ambassador to China, accused Ivanka of having Andres ejected from the party.
“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),” Guajardo tweeted Sunday morning.
“Ivanka walked in ahead of him, not comfortable with his presence,” Guajardo continued. “Already inside. Hes approached and asked to come outside where Franco, who he knows perfectly well for many years, wants to talk to him. Once outside, hes 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 Trumps dirty work and, like Judas, betray an old friend,” Guajardo wrote.
Andres, who has been attacked by Trump’s administration despite his heroic efforts at hurricane relief in Puerto Rico, tweeted a photo of himself outside the event, and shamed the owner for doing Ivanka’s bidding.
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
When asked for a response by Politico reporter Jake Sherman, the White House “would not comment on the record about this.”
But that’s hardly surprising, as Donald Trump’s response to the devastating hurricane in Puerto Rico continues to be nothing but a rolling disaster.
And if Ivanka truly had Andres kicked out of the party despite his heroic efforts to help the Puerto Rican people, it would further prove that she is right at home in her father’s administration.
UPDATE: After hours of criticism and a non-denial from the restaurant in question, Ivanka Trump reached out privately to deny the story, according to Chef Andres. “I believe now that you personally had nothing to do” with the snub, Andres tweeted. But he also said that he still finds it “hard to understand why I was the only person not allowed in.”
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