Can you bear to dine in an award-winning restaurant while it is being run by overworked employees? Toyo Eatery, one of the few Michelin-starred restaurants in the Philippines, is currently facing public backlash over alleged labor-related abuses experienced by its former employees.

The issue stemmed from a complaint by an alleged former employee claiming that the restaurant violated workers’ rights by requiring them to render 18-hour shifts, granting fewer leave days, and failing to provide written employee contracts.

The restaurant has openly addressed these claims through a Facebook post and an Instagram story posted on their official accounts. “We are aware of the claims that were recently aired in the media,” it said. “We wish to clarify that these accounts do not accurately reflect how we operate.”

Toyo Eatery stated that it has always operated in full accordance with the Labor Code of the Philippines and all applicable labor regulations. It has also dismissed claims regarding benefits and wages, and no labor case has been filed against it throughout its 10 years of operation.

However, it is open to addressing any legitimate concerns of its employees, past and present, through proper channels.