by Former employees of Cardamom said they were caught off guard after the restaurant abruptly eliminated their jobs, sparking protests and drawing criticism from a major arts institution.
It started with an email on the morning of April 12 for Brigetta Hartzell.
“My coworker comes up to me and says, ‘Did you see the email?’” she said. “I was like, ‘What are you talking about?’ And she said, ‘We’re all done working here.’”
The email she received that morning said, “Cardamom will transition from a full-service model to a QR code and counter-service model. The host and server positions will be eliminated effective April 12.”
Hartzell said the news came without warning.
“After three years, suddenly I was grappling with the fact that my last shift was going to be tomorrow,” Hartzell said. “It was just so disregarding of who we were as workers or even just as humans.”
Within days of the layoffs, former employees organized protests outside the restaurant.
About a week later, the Walker Art Center announced it was cutting ties with Cardamom, which operates inside the museum. In a statement, the center said the restaurant’s shift toward automation conflicted with its values and that it will close within the next 60 to 90 days.
“The reduced-service model, which favors automated efficiencies over a human-centered approach, does not align with our core values,” said Mary Ceruti, the Walker’s Executive Director in a statement.
Cole O’Brien, who worked as a server at Cardamom for three years, said the protests were about more than just the lost jobs.
“Even though we had lost our jobs, and it was kind of too late for us, we wanted to make sure it wasn’t too late for other restaurants and that workers get the protections they deserve,” O’Brien said.
Cardamom is operated by the Daniel Del Prado Restaurant Group. In a statement, the company said the decision was driven by ongoing challenges in the restaurant industry.
“Cardamom was not immune to the continuing challenges for restaurants in Minneapolis,” the company said, adding that affected employees were offered other positions within the company or severance packages.
Some workers said the offers fell short and most declined the severance.
“It felt a little insulting,” O’Brien said. “The severance was based on my average hours from the last three months.”
Despite the abrupt end to their jobs, former workers say they are holding onto the sense of community they built and hope their experience sparks change in the industry.
“We want to make sure this doesn’t happen to others,” O’Brien said.Former staff started a Go Fund Me to help support former staff with rent, groceries and other expenses while they are still looking for work.
