Chef Apologizes After Influencer Clash at Kis Café
Avery Sinclair here with a reality check. Before you dive into your timeline, brace yourself: this is the unfiltered version of how one chef mistook a TikTok follower count for a personality trait.
Chef Luke Sung has publicly apologized after a viral spat with food influencer Karla at Kis Café in San Francisco’s Hayes Valley neighborhood. According to a July 23 TikTok video by Karla, the co-owner and head chef at the newly opened wine bar questioned her value as a collaborator because she “didn’t have enough followers” for the café’s image. The influencer says she was brought in under the pretense of a marketing tie-in, only to find herself on the wrong side of Sung’s very public judgment.
In her video, which racked up thousands of views within hours (E! News confirmed the timeline via Karla’s public account), the TikToker recalls shaking Sung’s hand and sharing her genuine excitement about the pop-up collaboration. That goodwill moment quickly died when he asked how much research she had done on Kis Café and then launched into a critique of her content. “He starts playing my TikToks at full volume in the dining area,” she says, “and then tells me my audience is not the kind of people who would ever step foot in his restaurant.” Karla adds that it felt like an insinuation that her followers lacked the budget to appreciate the wine bar’s menu.
By the end of the encounter, Karla was in tears, convinced she had been publicly humiliated. Instead of the promised feature, she walked out of the café feeling belittled. E! News reached out to both parties; Sung’s subsequent apology post on the café’s Instagram account made it clear he had everyone’s best interests at heart—well, sort of.
“Karla – I am truly sorry for my actions towards you,” Sung wrote in the restaurant’s feed. “I was condescending, hurtful, and intimidating. You did not deserve to be made to feel less than or unimportant. Regardless, I thank you for teaching me a valuable lesson in kindness and respect.” He went on to take full responsibility for the incident and announced that he is stepping away from Kis Café “permanently and in all capacities.”
Kis Café swiftly backed up that statement with its own post on July 24: “Our chef’s behavior was unacceptable and he is no longer part of the team as a co-owner, a chef or in any other way,” the restaurant said. “That behavior does not reflect the remainder of our team.”
This incident underscores the tricky dance between restaurants and social media creators. Micro-influencers often rely on authenticity rather than massive followings to connect with niche audiences. Karla’s video is now a cautionary tale: never judge an influencer by her follower count alone, or you might end up apologizing on your own feed.
And that is today’s reality check served with a side of humble pie. You’re welcome.
Sources: Celebrity Storm and E! News, Kis Café Instagram, Karla TikTok video
Attribution: Creative Commons Licensed
