Celebrity chef snubs Donald Trump
The latest person to distance himself from Donald Trump is sure to leave a sour taste in the mogul's mouth.
Celebrity chef Geoffrey Zakarian said Thursday that he is bowing out of Donald Trump's new hotel in Washington, D.C., because of the Republican presidential candidate's disparaging comments about Mexican immigrants.
"The recent statements surrounding Mexican immigrants by Donald Trump do not in any way align with my personal core values," Zakarian said in a statement. "Zakarian Hospitality employs many immigrants from nations all over the world, and I look forward to continuing this business culture in my future restaurants. We are a nation built from immigrants, my family included."
Known for his appearances on the Food Network, Zakarian is the second high-profile chef this week to opt out of the project at the Old Post Office Pavilion scheduled to open next year. Chef José Andrés, an American citizen since 2013, backed out of the luxury hotel on Wednesday, saying that more than half of his restaurant's team was Hispanic.
In television interviews Wednesday, Trump stood by his claim, first made when he launched his presidential bid last month, that the Mexican government is shipping drug dealers and rapists to the U.S.
Several businesses, including NBC, Univision and Macy's (M), have since cut ties with Trump.