After visiting Jinjuu, restaurant reviewer Jay Rayner wanted to confirm some basic facts, such as the proprietor having worked in the Gordon Ramsay restaurant empire. Ramsay's people responded with confirmation—and an inexplicably rabid denunciation of the proprietor, Judy Joo. Then Joo responded with a 17-page legal brief in rebuttal.
"Blimey," writes Rayner, "I was only looking for a bit of background."
The letter includes multiple pages of testimonials. In just 36 hours, Joo's team has solicited responses from around the world… Over the next few weeks legal letters from very expensive lawyers start flying all over London. Gordon Ramsay's lawyers write to Judy Joo's lawyers. Judy Joo's lawyers write to Gordon Ramsay's.
I ask Judy for a face-to-face interview. I do so a number of times, but she seems more comfortable communicating with people who charge by the hour. I sense she no longer wants to shake my hand. The lawyers accuse me of intimidating behaviour in asking all these questions and costing her a lot of money in legal expenses. They also say that in the circumstances it would be inappropriate for me to review the restaurant. The implication is that I now have a vendetta against Ms Joo, which I don't. I simply wanted to find out why Gordon Ramsay Holdings should be so angry with her description of her time in the group.
Rayner says Jinjuu isn't bad, but pricey: "OK if you like that sort of thing."
Photo: Kent Wang (cc), who reports "Chicken was bland."
