D.C. Chef Matt Baker Under Fire for Retweeting Texts Supporting the Firing Federal Workers and Deporting Immigrants - Eater DC

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“I never intended to hurt this city or its people, and for that, I sincerely apologize.”

Critically-acclaimed D.C. chef and restaurateur Matt Baker — behind Michelin-starred Gravitas, French-influenced Michele’s, and all-day cafe Baker’s Daughter — is doing damage control after his recent social media habits of reposting inflammatory rhetoric were documented and exposed by a local dining influencer on Friday.

Anela Malik of @Feedthemalik captured screenshots of Baker’s recent retweeting history of other X users pushing anti-immigrant agendas, pro-Trump ideology, DOGE-induced government layoffs, and linking DEI to plane crashes. D.C.’s popular community blog Washingtonian Problems blew up the carousel, too, which also spotlighted Baker’s behavior.

A post shared by Anela Malik (@feedthemalik)

His posting intersects with Baker having hit financial trouble, with his Michelin-starred tasting room Gravitas in Ivy City getting slapped with a sales suspension notice by D.C.’s Office of Tax & Revenue on February 19. Eater reached out to Baker and to the agency for comment on its status. Reservations are still showing availability this week on Tock.

Meanwhile, Baker is supposed to be opening another restaurant soon, Lucille’s Modern Chophouse: his first-ever steakhouse set to debut on the ground floor of the Kimpton George Hotel this spring.

Instagram user @lemonlimefluenced commented, “as a fired fed, no way will I support any of these restaurants.” And big hot sauce company @clarkandhopkins, which supplies its products to several D.C. cafes, wrote it “will NOT be engaging [Baker’s] places ever again.” “Folks don’t get to profit off the same communities they choose to marginalize,” said food journalist @Matt_Lardie. And D.C. chef Rock Harper along with sommelier Nadine Brown also endorsed Malik’s post.

Baker’s restaurants Michele’s and Baker’s Daughter have anchored the lobby of downtown’s Eaton hotel since 2021. Eaton, an openly progressive brand that launched in 2017 with a widely known “anti-Trump” stance, responded to the social media firestorm surrounding its star chef with a statement on Friday, saying the owners are “deeply disappointed” by the nature of the content circulated by Baker on X, which does not align with Eaton’s values or principles. Eater has reached out to the hotel group for more information.

A post shared by Eaton DC (@eaton.dc)

In response to the spotlighting of his online behavior, Baker posted on Instagram Monday, claiming his posts were “thoughtless,” and “sincerely” apologizes to anyone he’s hurt.

“I do not condone hate or discrimination in any form,” continues the statement from Baker, who says he does “not support” targeting immigrants or people of color. He also backpedals on seemingly backing the mass firing of federal workers, who he says “contribute so much to our city.”

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