A kitchen porter tried to sue an award-winning pub for race discrimination by claiming vinegar was left near him because it sounded like the n-word.
Willer Lafeuillee, of Caribbean heritage, had only worked at The Running Horses in Dorking, Surrey, for a few weeks before he was dismissed for “unprofessional” behaviour.
After dismissal, he then brought a race discrimination case against the pub, which was named best in the UK in 2023, over claims colleagues would place the condiment near him.
He suggested this was done deliberately to “send a message” to him because vinegar sounds like the n-word.
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The porter also alleged he was discriminated against because staff played the song Gold Digger by Kanye West as well as music by the rapper Biggie Smalls, all of which contained the n-word.
In a further bizarre allegation, he said he was served an overdone steak, which he claimed also amounted to discrimination.
However, all claims were thrown out by an employment tribunal.
The tribunal was told: “The significance of the vinegar bottle is said to be that it rhymes with the ‘n-word’ and so placing it near to him was, he says, meant to send that message.”
The tribunal concluded that the allegation was so “vague” that it was dismissed from the list of incidents in dispute.
The former employee of The Running Horses in Dorking had his claims thrown out by an employment tribunal
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However, several others remained, including Mr Lafeuillee's allegation that 'food being burnt and not done according to standard' amounted to discrimination against him.
Several displays of “aggressive behaviour” saw Mr Lafeuillee sacked, the tribunal heard, including threatening behaviour over an overcooked steak.
His bosses said he was behaving “erratically and aggressively, to the extent that he was a danger to other members of staff”.
In other claims, Mr Lafeuillee made a vague allegation that he was harassed because one colleague would serve him a drink in a London Pride glass.
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He also said he was discriminated against because one co-worker said “yabba dabba doo” - a phrase from the TV show The Flintstones - in his direction.
Dismissing all of his claims, Employment Judge Fowell said: “We bear in mind that this was a diverse workforce and that Mr Lafeuillee was treated with considerable restraint and consideration for most of his time at the company, such as in connection with the steak incident.
“The allegations are largely the result of misinterpretation or have an innocent explanation.”
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