A restaurant owner in Melbourne has defended his decision to deny Russell Crowe and his girlfriend, Britney Theriot, entry into his establishment over their outfits.
On Friday, the Les Misérables actor and his partner visited the Mr Miyagi restaurant after playing a game of tennis.
However, they were turned away due to the restaurant’s strict dress code regulations, prompting the owner, Kristian Klein, to speak out.
He explained to the Herald Sun that the restaurant treats everyone the same, regardless of their status.
He said, “We’ve got a dress code that we that we push across every level. So whoever it is, it stays the same. We’re consistent with it, and I don’t feel like it’s unreasonable.”
While Mr Miyagi’s website describes the restaurant as “casual but fancy,” Crowe and Theriot’s attire didn’t meet the “smart casual dress code.”
Klein told The Sydney Morning Herald that the staff members who turned the couple away had not realized who they were, but it didn’t change anything. “It doesn’t matter who you are or if you are Russell Crowe,” he said.
Klein also explained that Mr Miyagi isn’t trying to teach people how to dress, but expects guests to respect the restaurant’s dress code, which he said is reasonable.
He said, “We put so much effort into what we do, and we expect everyone to sort of respect us like we respect the guests.”
He added that “But I know personally if I’m in my thongs and my boardies, I’m not going to try and go to a nice restaurant, because I wouldn’t be dressed appropriately”.
‘AREN’T THIS SMART CASUAL ENOUGH?’
LOOK: Kristian Klein, owner of the Melbourne Japanese fusion restaurant, stood by his staff’s decision not to allow Hollywood star Russell Crowe and girlfriend Britney Theriot into the place for breaking the dress code.
| Via Daily Mail pic.twitter.com/fxqBiNPvFl
— Daily Tribune (@tribunephl) February 25, 2023
After the incident, Crowe’s manager, Grant Vandenberg, spoke to the Daily Mail Australia and revealed that Crowe had been wearing a brand new Ralph Lauren polo shirt when he tried to visit the restaurant.
Despite this, Klein said that the dress code was non-negotiable, and that Crowe and Theriot were not the only potential diners to be turned away from the establishment.
The Herald Sun reported that radio producer Sacha French, alongside TV commentator Steve Price and his partner, had also previously been turned away.
Although Crowe and Theriot were denied entry into Mr Miyagi, they managed to find another place to have lunch after their morning sports activities.
Meanwhile, Klein has offered an olive branch to the actor and his partner, stating that he would love to have them back. He said, “We’d love for him to come to dinner; we’d love to have him back.”
