Recipe for scandal

The polished dining scene at the Bonifacio Global City (BGC) was jolted midweek when a high-profile chef-restaurateur was quietly taken into custody, right in the middle of a glittering crowd at a newly buzzed-about restaurant-lounge owned by a billionaire designer.

Operatives from the Southern Police District–CIDG swooped in on Wednesday night, turning what was meant to be another curated evening into an awkward spectacle for patrons and insiders alike.

The arrest traces back to a complaint for acts of lasciviousness filed by a well-heeled socialite, who alleged she was molested during a private party last December at another trendy Chinese restaurant-bar in the same district, reportedly a venue in which the same chef has a stake.

In her filing before the Taguig City Prosecutor’s Office, the complainant said she was caught completely off guard by the chef’s alleged conduct, describing it as both abusive and lecherous.

After spending two nights in detention at a precinct along Lawton Avenue, the chef secured his release on Friday upon posting bail, leaving BGC’s tight-knit dining circle abuzz and reputations hanging in the balance.