North Fork Roasting Co. Says No To Controversial Restauranteur

NORTH FORK, NY — Two beloved local North Fork business owners won't be doing business with a controversial New York restauranteur allegedly accused of sexual harassment.

A post last week in Eater New York said Ken Friedman, owner of The Spotted Pig, had applied for a liquor license for a project with Jenni Lee and Jess Morris, owners of the North Fork Roasting Company. The post said the proposed project was to be located at 57125 Main Rd. in Southold, with the LLC name of “Days of Wine and Roses.”

After news spread on social media, many local North Fork residents spoke out about the plan and said they would not support Friedman, who has been accused of sexual harassment, Eater New York said.

On Saturday, Jenni Lee and Jess Morris, who are married and co-owners of the North Fork Roasting Company, issued a statement: "“While we had preliminary discussions with Ken Friedman about pursuing this new local business opportunity, there was no formal agreement in place. After thoughtful consideration, we’ve decided against moving forward with this venture and instead, will continue to focus our efforts on our current business, North Fork Roasting Company.”

An explosive report in the New York Times in 2017 outlined the allegations against Friedman, stating that women said that "Mr. Friedman . . had subjected them to unwanted sexual advances: groping them in public, demanding sex or making text requests for nude pictures or group sex. Many others also said that working for him required tolerating daily kisses and touches, pulling all-night shifts at private parties that included public sex and nudity, and enduring catcalls and gropes from guests who are Mr. Friedman’s friends."

In 2017, Friedman responded to the allegations in the NYT: "My personal and professional life was intertwined with our restaurant and our staff," he said in the post. "I own my behavior which can accurately be described at times as abrasive, rude and frankly wrong. The women who work at our restaurants are among the best in the business, and putting any of them in humiliating situations is unjustifiable. Some incidents were not as described, but context and content are not today's discussion. I apologize now publicly for my actions."

Friedman could not immediately be reached for comment about the possible Southold venture.