SEATTLE — Seven months after sexual misconduct allegations forced restaurateur Edouardo Jordan to close his Seattle restaurant JuneBaby, the chef said he plans to reopen it.
In an Instagram post Friday, Jordan, who has won two James Beard awards, announced his plans to relaunch the southern restaurant, which was previously located in the Ravenna neighborhood.
“As someone who has been taught to stay the course through all of life's obstacles, I've always kept moving, growing, and learning,” Jordan wrote. “I'll continue to do just that, but with a clear lens, and renewed purpose. The future is unknown, but I do know it's time to reopen JuneBaby.”
JuneBaby’s closure this summer followed an investigation by The Seattle Times that detailed accounts from 15 employees and other women of pervasive sexual harassment and misconduct.
Melissa Miranda previously told KING 5 the misconduct is something that "has been known for a really long time." She alleges that many employees were afraid to make public complaints because of Jordan's rising profile and the power dynamic that exists in a restaurant where the chef is also the owner.
Jordan's restaurants, Salare and JuneBaby, closed and his employees quit en masse after the Times story was published in June.
In July, Jordan apologized “unequivocally” on Instagram to the people he had hurt. That post has since been removed.
In his post on Friday, Jordan said he spent hours with the community and industry leaders who provided “mentorship, tough love, and guidance” to make sure JuneBaby has “a rock-solid foundation” from which to open.