Chef John Tesar Bans Critic From His Restaurants Following 3-Star Review

Earlier today chef John Tesar fired back at Dallas Morning News critic Leslie Brenner after she filed a three out of five star review of his new Dallas restaurant Knife, tweeting: "fuck you ! Your reviews are misleading poorly written,self serving and you have destroyed the star system and you really suck." Now he tells Eater Dallas' Whitney Filloon that he is banning Leslie Brenner from Knife as well his other Dallas restaurant Spoon. "I will never let her into another one of my restaurants again," said Tesar. "If she comes in and tries to review it, we will just politely ask her to leave."

In the past Tesar has called Brenner "probably one of the worst food critics I've ever seen in my entire life." Last year Tesar even had the above t-shirt made after Brenner gave Spoon four stars. He wants her out of Dallas: "If we took a vote … if this were Parliament, I think we could vote Leslie Brenner out of office," Tesar said.

Such a strong reaction from a chef is not unheard of. Back in 2011, the Houston restaurant Liberty Kitchen & Oyster Bar banned Houston Chronicle food critic Alison Cook before they even opened. Also in 2011 neMesis Urban Bistro in Miami banned Miami New Times restaurant critic Lee Klein for including it in a listicle called "Six Worst Miami Restaurant Names." Most famously, perhaps, was when Red Medicine in LA kicked out the anonymous LA Times critic S. Irene Virbila and then posted her photo online back in 2010.

UPDATE 7/17: Brenner writes: "I'm happy with my review of Knife. I put a lot of thought into it, and I stand by it. Our readers will form their own opinions once they read it, and I look forward, as always, to reading their comments."

· Tesar Bans Leslie Brenner From His Restaurants [Eater Dallas]
· John Tesar Slams Critic Over Review: 'You Really Suck' [-E-]
· All Critics Coverage on Eater [-E-]
· All Biting Back on Eater [-E-]