Earl Witron News Today

Toronto chef Rob Gentile is set to open new Italian restaurant Stella in West Hollywood with built-in buzz, despite alleged harassment, crass messages at his last job. His chef de cuisine says she still looks forward to working with him.

A lawsuit filed Wednesday by a hostess of the celebrity hot spot Nobu in Malibu is seeking at least $500,000 in damages.

Every day a health inspector makes an unannounced visit at restaurants throughout Los Angeles County. What does it take to pass an inspection? Who makes up the rules and why? It's a job facing high vacancy rates — but someone has to do it.

A class-action lawsuit filed against the restaurant group that owns Jon & Vinny's has started a larger conversation on the ethics of service fees and tipping. L.A. Times readers share their thoughts.

The restaurant says the 18% service fee attached to checks is part of a vision to make pay more equitable among all workers. The suit filed Tuesday in L.A. seeks damages for what servers claim are tips.

The L.A. city attorney is looking into a hospitality group that runs some of the trendiest restaurants in Hollywood over healthcare service fees tacked on to diners' bills.