Better late than never Hermès asks Swiss celebrity chef to apologize
André Jaeger feels badly treated during a visit to the Hermès luxury boutique in Zurich. After the celebrity chef publicly vented his frustration, the manager has now apologized to him personally.
No time? blue News summarizes for you
- Swiss celebrity chef André Jaeger wanted to buy a gift for a couple of friends in Zurich at the beginning of October.
- During his visit to the Hermès store on Bahnhofstrasse, the 77-year-old felt badly treated and left the store empty-handed.
- The restaurateur subsequently vented his frustration on social media and on blue News.
- Now Sara Mathivet, director of the Hermès store in Zurich, has contacted Jaeger directly by phone - and apologized.
Different rules apply when shopping in luxury boutiques on Zurich's Bahnhofstrasse. Swiss celebrity chef André Jaeger found this out three weeks ago.
The restaurateur wanted to buy a 1000-franc crockery set as a gift for a couple of friends. But things turned out differently than expected: After Jaeger entered the store, he stood there for fifteen minutes without being served.
"Pride goeth before a fall. I wanted to buy a gift for friends at Hermès today. But, oh dear, it's not that easy," he vented on social media and blue News afterwards.
At the time described, there was only one other customer in the store besides him, while several employees stood around more or less bored. "Incredible arrogance," says Jaeger.
André Jaeger: "The email was written by AI"
When the celebrity chef returns home, he sits down at his computer and writes an email to Hermès in French, in which he recaps the unpleasant experience.
Seconds later, he receives an automated reply stating that his request will be answered within 24 hours. Then he hears nothing more.
The luxury label contacted André Jaeger a day late after all - and again by e-mail:
"First of all, I would like to thank you for taking the time to write to us. My name is Lisa, I am an ambassador for the House of Hermès. I am very pleased to be able to respond to your request today ..."
"I think this email was written by AI," André Jaeger told blue News. However, the celebrity chef's disappointment was very limited.
"They really think they're something better and that they're entitled to behave like that." However, he had already learned something at a young age as a restaurateur: "If a king eats at your place, that doesn't make you a king."
For André Jaeger, this "puts the matter to bed"
Hope dies last. Quite unexpectedly, Sara Mathivet, Director of the Hermès store in Zurich, contacted him by telephone recently.
"It's hard to believe, but the manager of Hermès called me. She explained herself and apologized to me," says a delighted André Jaeger.
And he continues: "So the reporting by blue News has had an effect." For the 77-year-old celebrity chef, the story is now closed. "I've said thank you and put the matter to bed."
