A spokeswoman for the Hyatt hotel chain told the AFP news agency that management had been informed of a “disturbing incident,” footage of which had been shared online. The regional daily newspaper “Sud Ouest” reports that the photos show a so-called initiation ritual in the hotel kitchen.

A kitchen helper was tied naked to a chair for hours, with an apple in her mouth and a carrot in her anus, while all the cooks – the so-called kitchen brigade – watched, including Largeau himself. The footage has now been removed from the internet. The “humiliating” incident took place “under the authority and in the presence of the chef Aurélien Largeau,” Sud Ouest continued.

A Hyatt spokeswoman said: “This incident does not reflect the values ​​we defend. We conducted an investigation and made the appropriate decisions,” she said. “The safety, health and well-being of our colleagues, customers and partners are our absolute priority,” the spokeswoman continued.