Café Cerés closure highlights contentious relationship between restaurants and unions

The contentious relationship between Twin Cities restaurants and employee unions is once again making headlines. Minneapolis restaurant business mogul Daniel del Prado’s DDP Restaurant Group announced that the four Café Cerés locations will close this month. 

In a statement, DDP Restaurant Group said they are closing the Café Cerés locations to focus on their other restaurants, which include fine dining restaurants Martina, Colita and Porzana.

“While we are proud of what we accomplished in the café space, it is clear that the DDP Restaurant Group’s future lies in what we do best — creating and operating amazing, and highly successful, restaurants by delivering exceptional hospitality, crafting unforgettable dining experiences, and leading chef-driven food and beverage programs,” the statement said in part.

Last August, baristas at Café Cerés voted to unionize under hospitality union UNITE HERE Local 17. Employees were in the first few months of contract negotiations with DDP Restaurant Group when the closure was announced last week.  

“Heads of restaurant empires like Daniel del Prado would rather close shop than give a fair share to the workers who make them rich,” a spokesperson for the union said in a statement.

A similar situation happened last year at chef Ann Kim’s Uptown restaurant called Kim’s. Kim’s workers voted to unionize and within two months the restaurant closed, citing “financial losses.” 

Adam Platt, the executive editor of the magazine Twin Cities Business, joined Minnesota Now to break down what he thinks is happening in Twin Cities restaurants.

Use the audio player above to listen to the full conversation.

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