A prominent local chef has found himself at the center of attention following a series of social media posts accusing him of misbehavior spanning a decade. Pervasive themes include sexual harassment, belittlement, paranoid behavior and wage theft.
The accusations come after Michelin-starred chef Chris Barnum-Dann of Localis and Betty Wine Bar + Bistro announced plans to open four new properties in Sacramento within the next year.
Aside from maintaining a Michelin star for Localis since 2022, Barnum-Dann also received recognition as Michelin’s California 2025 Sommelier Award winner.
In March, a post on the Reddit r/MichelinStars subreddit urged locals to avoid his establishments due to “countless allegations of female staff members leaving … because of sexual harassment.”
The content of that post was mirrored onto the r/Sacramento subreddit and subsequently on Instagram by another user to further spread the word. Barnum-Dann responded to the allegations publicly on Instagram in a post with the comments turned off.
Hundreds of comments from users ensued on both platforms speaking out about the chef’s behavior during times when they were employed at both restaurants. The allegations went beyond sexual harassment to include patterns of belittlement, paranoia and wage theft — spanning from the restaurant’s opening in 2015 to last year.
Owner Chris Barnum-Dann, left, works with his kitchen staff to prepare for Localis’ return of brunch service at their restaurant in Sacramento on Sunday, Feb. 22, 2026. He is at the center of controversy over accusations of sexual harassment, belittlement and wage theft. HANNAH RUHOFF hruhoff@sacbee.com
In a statement to The Sacramento Bee, chef Barnum-Dann acknowledged the post and the actions in question and calling them “baseless” and noting, from his perspective, “they stem from events that allegedly occurred between 2018 to 2020.”
Barnum-Dann expressed contrition for causing harm to any employees, past or present. He said in the statement he “care(s) deeply for those who work at (the) restaurants and (has) always tried to create supportive, respectful environments.”
He also said Localis pays its employees “about 35% more than industry standards.”
Barnum-Dann also acknowledged a compensation dispute at Betty, in which a tipping policy affected “certain supervisory employees that may not have fully aligned with applicable wage and hour guidance.”
He said he has taken proactive steps, including “issuing payments to employees we identified as potentially affected.” The issue was brought before the Labor Commissioner’s Office. Barnum-Dann said he is cooperating fully in that process.
While many were eager to speak out, few were willing to go on the record by name. This is true both for those criticizing and supporting Barnum-Dann.
In light of the controversy, a handful of employees at Betty took it upon themselves to issue a statement of their own, distancing themselves from Barnum-Dann, who took over the wine bar in 2024.
“We are disappointed to learn about the news, and frankly, we are not interested in defending him, or offering an opposing opinion to anyone’s experience,” the staff said in a statement. “We don’t care to speak on Chef Chris, because to us, he’s not Betty.”
Stories of harassment are not uncommon in professional kitchens. This incident comes shortly on the tail of recent accusations of physical and emotional abuse against Rene Redzepi of Noma, the world’s top-rated restaurant.
This is a developing story; check back with sacbee.com for updates.
This story was originally published April 11, 2026 at 8:15 PM.
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Sean Timberlake is the food and dining reporter for The Sacramento Bee. He has been writing professionally for nearly 30 years, and about food for 20. A variety of well-known outlets have published his work, including Food Network, Cooking Channel, CNN, Sunset Magazine and SF Weekly.