Celebrity chef Dan Doherty accused of sexual harassment

An external investigation has been conducted at the Royal Oak restaurant in London’s Marylebone after celebrity chef Dan Doherty was accused of sexual harassment.

According to a report in the Sunday Times Doherty was “forced to leave” his Royal Oak restaurant in Marylebone in November 2018 while consultancy firm HR180 carried out an external investigation.

The investigation reportedly examined allegations that Doherty had asked a female member of staff to perform a sex act on him, and that he told members of staff he wanted to see them without their uniforms on.

The same paper reported that Doherty was found guilty of “misconduct” following the investigation, but that he has since returned to work and apologised to staff. It is also reported that four members of staff left the restaurant because of the chef’s conduct.

Doherty told media: “I would never intentionally make offensive comments to anyone I work with, male or female. I have apologised to the whole team for any offence I may have inadvertently caused. It would never be my intention.”

The Royal Oak’s operators, Urban Inns, told media: “We take allegations of misconduct in any form very seriously and we used an independent HR company to thoroughly investigate some suggestions of inappropriate communications. Urban Inns Limited has acted, and continues to do so, on these recommendations, following which Dan returned to work.”