Social media feud with food influencer costs San Francisco chef his job: ‘I learned a lesson’
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The feud began after influencer Kathleen Ensign posted a lukewarm review of chef Geoffrey Lee’s recently-opened Hamburger Project. San Francisco Michelin-starred chef Geoffrey Lee stepped down from his leadership roles at three prominent restaurants —Ju-Ni, Handroll Project, and the newly opened Hamburger Project — on Friday, January 3, following a publicized social media clash with food influencer Kathleen Ensign.
![[Influencer Maggie Z posted screenshots of Chef Geoffrey Lee’s messages on her Instagram Stories]](https://static.independent.co.uk/2025/01/04/21/newFile-1.jpg)
Ensign’s critique, shared on Instagram and TikTok, triggered a series of escalating responses from Lee, including personal attacks on her social media posts unrelated to the restaurant. According to Ensign, Lee’s messages included comments about her weight, appearance, and even a voice memo from his child calling her a “dumbface,” which she shared on social media. Screenshots also showed Lee referring to Ensign as “weird” and “unstable,” and accusing her of having “the most annoying Karen voice.”.
“She came in within the first three or four days of Hamburger Project being open and made a public review of the restaurant, kind of insulting me and calling them ‘Ozempic burgers’ for clickbait,” Lee told The Standard. “A few days later, I mentioned there are a lot of people who like it, and maybe it’s just you who doesn’t?”.
Lee began to send angry messages to Maggie Z as well. “I find influencer culture to be some of the scummiest in our community,” he said in a direct message to Maggie Z. Then, upon uncovering a message she’d sent long before, offering to collaborate, he accused her of seeking attention.
