Sommelier Created Blog to Trash Yelp Critic
January 20, 2012
A Chicago woman who took her complaint about a local sommelier and his food and wine pairing class to the Internet said she got more than a taste of revenge from the businessman.
Cecelia Groark’s post on Yelp (click here for the review), the popular online review site, about Bottled Grapes in Albany Park allegedly yielded an angry response from owner Krunch Kretschmar, (NB: it sounds like an angry name) an internationally known sommelier. She claims he started a blog about her that accused her of “embezzling” from her employer, of having a drug addiction and of “turning to the oldest profession to gain funds need[ed] to support her habits.”
Kretschmar is accused of posting “malicious and false statements” and seeks more than $650,000 in damages for defamation and intentional infliction of emotional distress.
After the review of Bottled Grapes was posted on Yelp, the next day, Kretschmar allegedly established a blog in Groark’s name, the lawsuit claims, that stated: “Cecelia[’s] troubles began when she started Embezzling from her last employer to support her drug addiction. While her treatment in the Cook County jail did little to help her, she is continuing to fight her demons everyday. Now turning to the oldest profession to gain the funds need[ed] to support her habits, she is now trying to turn a new leaf. We wish her well.”
Click here for the full article.
My Thoughts
This made me laugh! He obviously (allegedly) did his research on her! That’s one Lithuanian Sommelier I never want to make angry! Hey Krunch, all restaurant people can sympathize with you! We’ve all wanted to write nasty things online when someone pisses us off! You just TRY to keep it “back-of-house”!
What shocks me is that this lady is trying to claim $650,000 in emotional distress!?!? WOW!!! I need to start pissing off more people online, and then sue them!
On a whim, I went to the Twitter account for this angry Somm, and I smiled when I saw his bio: “Krunch Kretschmar is putting the LOVE in LOVE YOUR CUSTOMER and Raising the Standard in Customer Service.” :)
