The co-owner of a critically acclaimed French bistro in Los Angeles got his restaurant into hot water on social media after praising billionaire Elon Musk’s electric car company, Tesla.
Walter Manzke, the veteran chef and co-owner of L.A.’s République, praised the idea behind a new Tesla-owned restaurant that features Tesla charging stations in a recent New York Times interview that was published on Friday, leading to critics ripping his establishment on online forum site reddit.com.
“What a moron. Why would you open your fat mouth and alienate at least half of your clientele,” one Reddit “Top 1% commenter” wrote in response to the article.
The Times article profiled the “retro-futuristic diner” that was announced by Musk in 2023 and is still under development.
“An opening date has not been announced, but Tesla’s all-night diner, theater and charging station is clearly on its way. Which means that the company’s leader, Elon Musk, is about to enter the hospitality business,” The Times reported.
The Times published the article amid the backlash that Musk and his EV company have gotten since he became a senior adviser to President Donald Trump and the leader of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).
In addition to months of liberals protesting DOGE, the backlash has ratcheted up in intensity to where Tesla vehicles are now being vandalized, set on fire and even shot at near Tesla dealerships throughout the country.
Manzke became a target of anti-Musk social media users thanks to his quote praising the Tesla restaurant idea in The Times piece.
“It sounds exciting,” Manzke told the outlet, adding that his wife, who co-owns République, “told me the other day that she wants to buy a Tesla, so I can tell you what side she’s on.”
