After debuting at the end of 2022 to much fanfare, followed by a sudden monthlong shutdown, chef Berk Güldal and co-owner Katrina Schult of top new Seattle restaurant Hamdi are facing allegations of wage and tip theft from four former employees.
A lawsuit filed in King County Superior Court on Jan. 9 on behalf of four employees accuses the couple of violating the Seattle Wage Theft Ordinance and other state statutes, including failure to pay overtime, diverting tips intended for staff to themselves, failure to consistently provide meal/rest breaks and — in the case of some of the plaintiffs — unlawful wage deductions and failure to reimburse expenses.
The lawsuit came three days after the restaurant's surprising closure on Jan. 6, less than two months after it had opened.
