Some former employees of a Michelin-starred restaurant in Makati City accused the establishment of requiring them to work long hours, limiting their leave and failing to pay for most of their overtime.
A video report by Bilyonaryo News Channel (BNC) featured an anonymous man who claimed that working at Toyo Eatery made him feel like a “cog in the machine.”
He said working at the establishment made him feel that he did not have a “proper break” or a “proper weekend.”
The restaurant was also accused of lacking transparency regarding its wages, benefits and employment status.
It was likewise accused of using “coercive tactics through threats of slandering employees and ultimately blacklisting them with the fine dining industry should they choose to resign or leave Toyo Eatery.”
Some former employees claimed that there were no payslips, only a “screenshot of the [bank] transfer” sent via Telegram, a messaging app.
There were also claims that it had become normal for staff to report to work while sick, with employees alleging that the restaurant instilled a “lot of guilt” in them as part of its “culture.”
In response, the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) conducted a site inspection on June 3, revealing that the restaurant “did not furnish written employment contract to the workers.”
There were also workers who claimed to have received overtime pay, had 20 vacation or sick leave days per year and no experiences with “coercive tactics” from the management.
During an initial inspection by DOLE last March, the agency found that the restaurant lacked payroll records for January to February 2026.
Meanwhile, the management of Toyo Eatery strongly denied the allegations, saying that DOLE found no substantial violations during its inspections.
The restaurant also said it had already addressed post-inspection requirements, including submitting sample copies of employment contracts.
The report caught the attention of some Filipinos, who shared it on a Reddit community.
TOYO eatery inireklamo ng ilang dating empleyado
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u/dadidutdut in
Philippines
Some claimed that it is “pretty common” in the local food and beverage industry to have a “toxic working environment.”
“Nearly every kitchen I’ve been at, lahat ng chefs feeling Gordon Ramsey. Actually, I think, he is the biggest influence on why the cooks act the way they are,” a Redditor said, referring to British celebrity chef and restaurateur Gordon Ramsay.
“Filipinos love to roleplay celebrities and they think that is really how professional kitchens are run, hence they copy. Alam mo naman ang Pinoy,” the Reddit user added.
“F&B work are some of the worst jobs available. Irregular schedule, ungodly hours, no night differential, all day standing up and active, and for meager pay. You don’t even get formal credits to use to pad your resume [for] your next job,” the Redditor said.
“Sana hindi na ito maging norm sa industry. Parang nakakasama ng loob na you want to enjoy good food at the expense of someone working more than 12 hours and is being abused already,” another Reddit user wrote.
“Malamang napanood si Gordon Ramsay, para maging successful ‘yung resto, dapat toxic. Badge of honor pa,” commented a different Reddit user.
Toyo Eatery has a one-star from Michelin. It is praised for balancing the seasonings (soy vinegar and fish sauce) to enhance dishes and highlight natural flavors.
It is a contemporary Filipino restaurant that pays homage to Pinoy flavors, eatery traditions, and modern Filipino design.
The restaurant has received accolades, including the One To Watch Award in 2018 at Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants, the Sustainable Restaurant Award in 2023, and the Gin Mare Art of Hospitality Award in 2025.
READ: More Toyo Eatery stories here.
