Two ex-My Kitchen Rules contestants have been dumped as restaurant reviewers for The Sunday Times, following the publication of a controversial review of Perth’s West End Deli.
The review, published over the weekend, gave the venue a score of just nine out of 20, with the authors Chloe James and Kelly Ramsay encouraging potential diners to instead opt for takeaway pizza.
West End Deli’s owner hit back on Facebook, claiming that James wasn’t actually present when the review took place – months before it was actually published. James’ management has since confirmed her absence that night.
The controversy has resulted in the duo losing their reviewing gig, with The Sunday Times’ editor, Rod Savage, releasing the following statement:
“THE Sunday Times has clear editorial standards which demand accuracy and transparency. Regrettably a recent food review by Chloe James and Kelly Ramsay did not meet those standards, so we will no longer be using them as contributors to our publications. We will not be commenting further on this matter.”
Over the same weekend, another review, this time penned by The Australian’s John Lethlean, was published, giving Adelaide Oval’s Hill of Grace zero stars out of a possible five. The scathing review led the restaurant’s operator to also release a statement on Facebook, with CEO Andrew Daniels confirming the business is considering legal action.
According to Richard Edwards, hospitality lawyer, Lethlean’s review is the more defendable of the two. Read why here.
