Ex-workers allege sexual harassment at acclaimed restaurants Bida Manda, Brewery Bhavana
Two of Downtown Raleigh’s most acclaimed restaurants are facing allegations of sexual harassment.
Brewery Bhavana and Bida Manda, both owned by brother and sister Vansana and Vanvisa Nolintha, have been accused by former employees of failing to respond to harassment complaints and creating a work environment that often included excessive after-hours drinking. Vansana Nolintha also is accused of initiating a sexual encounter and groping a younger employee.
Over the past few days, Bhavana and Bida Manda have been the subject of a series of widely shared posts on Instagram detailing instances of harassment, assault and racism.
In the wake of the allegations, Vanvisa Nolintha and Patrick Woodson, a co-owner of Brewery Bhavana, released a statement Tuesday afternoon saying that the restaurant group would hire an outside group to investigate. They also said that Vansana Nolintha would step away from the companies during the investigation.
While the accounts span years, former and current employees started speaking out after an Instagram post detailing a racist incident at the restaurant. Earlier this year, a Bida Manda manager referred to a black employee as a “slave,” according to multiple people with knowledge of the incident. That manager ultimately resigned, but on Instagram the Nolinthas said they attempted to de-escalate the situation but acknowledged they had not responded “decisively.”
Multiple staff members said that Vansana Nolitha acted inappropriately with young male employees.
Ahead of a staff retreat in 2016, Bida Manda host Brandon Edwards said he was put in the same small group as Vansana Nolintha. The retreat had a “Game of Thrones” theme and he said he and Nolintha were assigned two male characters in the show who were in a romantic relationship.
Edwards said that Nolintha had taken an interest in him around this time. Once they were assigned these characters, Edwards said Nolintha texted him a photo of the TV show characters preparing to have sex.
“I don’t think I grasped at the time how inappropriate it was,” Edwards said.
‘He failed me as my manager’
Former Brewery Bhavana bookstore manager Sara Dye said that one night in July 2018, she took a break to grab dinner next door at Bida Manda. There, a male co-worker was off the clock and visibly intoxicated, she said, struggling to sit on a bar stool. Dye said that while helping this co-worker get an Uber home, he attempted to kiss her and grabbed her breast and buttocks.
Dye went back to Bhavana and finished her shift. Vansana Nolintha was working that evening and she said she took her complaint to him. Nolintha said he would investigate, Dye said, but encouraged her to keep the incident to herself. A manager’s report from the evening shared with The News & Observer included the incident of the intoxicated server, but did not mention sexual misconduct. It said, “Van has followed up with everyone directly involved. Please respect the confidentiality of this incident.”
Dye said she felt like she was being told to stay quiet about the incident.
Dye said she threatened to quit her job, one that she called a dream at the time, over the response to the incident.
“I told Van that he failed me as my manager and my boss and didn’t give me a safe space,” Dye said.
Independent, third-party investigation
The statement from Vanvisa Nolintha and Woodson said, “We take the sexual harassment allegations and conduct complaints for both restaurants very seriously and have decided to bring in an independent third party to investigate allegations of inappropriate workplace conduct. To ensure the integrity of this investigation, we have asked Van Nolintha to step away from his leadership position within both companies. Our commitment to our employees, guests, and the community is that we will follow the facts wherever they lead, hold the appropriate persons accountable, and take all the actions necessary to restore full confidence in our restaurants, Bida Manda and Brewery Bhavana.”
They said neither they nor Vansana Nolintha would talk to media Tuesday.
Bida Manda opened in 2012 as one of the country’s first Laotian restaurants. Brewery Bhavana opened in 2017 to instant acclaim, including national press, winding up on Bon Appetit’s top 10 new restaurants in the country that year.
Separately, the two restaurants are considered among Raleigh’s finest and together they are a force within the local industry, collecting awards and exuding influence.
Former employees spoke about a culture within the two restaurants that included staff retreats where co-workers were encouraged to share intimate personal stories. Some staff members relished the experience, others said they felt uncomfortable and that drinking during retreats was encouraged.
“If you didn’t feel comfortable sharing, you felt like there was something wrong with you,” said Nicole Bivins, who previously worked at Bida Manda. “They tell you (the restaurants) are more than service, it’s community and togetherness. Vulnerability is the key to everything for them.”
This story was originally published June 9, 2020 at 5:03 PM.
