Employees at a high-end East Hampton catering company say their job came with demands far beyond food service, according to a new lawsuit that paints a deeply troubling picture of life behind the scenes.
According to the New York Post, former catering manager Emma Beudert alleges in a Suffolk County filing that East Hampton Kitchen owner Annie Washburn and her partner, Michael Castiglione, routinely injected their sex life into the workplace and repeatedly pressured staff to participate.
The claims describe a pattern of behavior that Beudert says left employees uncomfortable, embarrassed, and, ultimately, afraid to speak up.
Beudert’s lawsuit says the couple spoke openly about their “open relationship,” often steering casual workplace conversations into graphic territory. “Ms. Washburn and Mr. Castiglione were extremely inappropriate in the way they discussed and propositioned Ms. Beudert and others about their sex life,” the filing states.
She alleges the couple not only propositioned employees themselves, but also asked her to share information about staff members they found attractive. The complaint says these interactions were “disruptive, unlawful, and predatory.”
According to the suit, the inappropriate conduct began almost immediately. During Beudert’s first week on the job in April 2024, Washburn allegedly launched into a detailed discussion about her own sexual frustrations and the health issues affecting her partners. Beudert objected, the filing says, but the behavior continued.
In another instance, Beudert was shown a nude photo by a kitchen worker. Instead of intervening, Washburn “simply laughed” and dismissed Beudert’s concerns, according to the lawsuit.
The complaint includes several examples of staffers confiding that they, too, had been propositioned.
Beudert describes hearing from servers who were approached at catered events, including weddings, where Washburn allegedly expressed interest in employees working that evening and asked whether they were single.
Castiglione, the lawsuit claims, openly bragged about their lifestyle, with one staffer recounting that he “high fives the men when they walk through the door” if Washburn wants to pursue them romantically.
The suit also details an incident at a concert that Beudert attended with the couple. She says a friend who came along was propositioned by Castiglione “moments after the concert began,” making her so uncomfortable she wanted to leave immediately.
As tensions grew, Beudert claims she was hit with an “unmanageable” workload and mocked by the couple and some staff, who began calling her “Cinderella” due to how overwhelmed she appeared. She resigned soon after.
Beudert has since moved on and reportedly now operates a “casino-style” sports betting bar in Southampton. The lawsuit against Washburn and Castiglione remains ongoing.
