LA Restaurant République Faces Blowback After Chef's Pro-Tesla Comment

LOS ANGELES — The owners of prominent Los Angeles restaurant and bakery République are navigating blowback surrounding comments chef Walter Manzke made about Tesla to The New York Times.

The Times interviewed Manzke about Tesla’s plan to open a diner, movie theater and charging station on Santa Monica Boulevard as CEO Elon Musk takes aggressive steps to downsize the federal government with his Department of Government Efficiency, eliciting an unfavorable response from both the stock market and the vehicle-buying public.

“It sounds exciting,” Manzke told the Times of Tesla’s planned restaurant, going on to say of his wife, Margarita Manzke, that, “She told me the other day that she wants to buy a Tesla, so I can tell you what side she’s on.”

On the r/FoodLosAngeles subreddit, some would-be customers said they planned to boycott République after Manzke's comments.

“I used to order their to-go pastries a few times a year for birthdays and other special occasions,” one person wrote. “Easy choice to never give them my business again.”

The Times article was published online Friday. Later that day, République posted a statement about the story on Instagram, although the statement has since been deleted, according to KTLA.

“In response to a recent New York Times article, we want to clarify that the quote about possibly buying a Tesla was simply about exploring electric vehicle options, not a political statement,” said the Instagram post, KTLA reported. “We value innovation and sustainability, and we respect all viewpoints. République does not take political stances; we are here to create a space for everyone, no matter their background or beliefs.”