Former employees protest Guy Fieri’s restaurant at Westmoreland Mall casino, claiming discrimination

WESTMORELAND CO., Pa. — About a dozen former employees and supporters protested outside Live! Casino in the Westmoreland Mall on Monday, claiming celebrity chef Guy Fieri’s restaurant discriminated against Black workers.

A couple of former workers at “Guy Fieri’s American Kitchen & Bar” told Channel 11 they were paid lower wages than their colleagues, despite doing the same job. So, they came out to protest Monday, demanding fair wages for Black workers.

One former employee accused a manager at the restaurant of using a racial slur. That person is also calling for racial sensitivity and equity training for all staff.

“My whole thing was just to get out the fact that he said the N-word, and nothing was done about it,” said former employee Nathaniel Ridley. “And then we found out about the money. Just a feeling of I want the feeling to go away and maybe the next person of color whoever gets hired here, there’s a process. Not one person decides what you make.”

Channel 11 reached out to management at the casino and the restaurant for comment. The casino issued the following statement:

“Live! Casino Pittsburgh and Guy Fieri’s American Kitchen + Bar are proud of the jobs we have created in Westmoreland County, are committed to our Team Members, and are committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion. The allegation that our compensation varies by race is simply false.”

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