Beef

Steve Lewis Further Disses Todd English, Calls for Peace

Steve Lewis has his fighting gloves on today — he takes an underhanded (if probably unintentional) jab at reporter Joshua David Stein by calling him Ben Stein. (Stein called Lewis an “icky nightlife dipstick” in a Gawker post linking to his interview with former Top Chefs Camille Becerra and Nikki Cascone. If you care, parts two and three of that interview are now up — Nikki says there was “a lot of bullshit” during her season, knocks Whole Foods, and questions the consistency of the judges and their say in who stays or goes.) Of course, what we’re really interested in is Lewis’s latest words about Todd English, whom he previously referred to as a “two-bit, lying punk” (English’s flack then told us they wouldn’t comment on “insane ramblings made by ex-convicts”).

Lewis says this today (we’ve bolded the juicy parts):

Until I actually tried to do business with him, Todd English and I got along just fine. He entertained me and mine at Olives in Boston, and asked me and mine to join him in Tuscany for Thanksgiving. When Todd played his little games over on Kenmare Street I was saddened not for the loss of the project, but over the loss of our friendship on account of his inability to tell the truth often enough to work together professionally. I was saddened that communication was reduced to me and his go-between because he lacked the courage to end the business relationship himself. In character, he had a hack send in a blast from my past to Grub Street a past that I am not ashamed of in any way, shape, or form. I have never agreed with the government’s interpretation of what happened when, and I have never revealed the truth of what actually happened in order to save myself from convictions.… The sad thing about Todd is that he hasn’t the strength to be the man that he portrays himself to be. I apologize for banging this in the media, and I reach out to you Todd and say, with all honesty: I forgive you. I hope you forgive me for this indiscretion, and I hope that one day we can speak as gentlemen.

To be fair, we were the ones who asked English’s “hack” (that’s flack) for a quotation, and (because we’re gentlemen, too!) we’ll ask him for one again.

Let’s Be Friends [Good Night Mr. Lewis]
Related: Todd English Slaps Back at Steve Lewis’s ‘Insane Ramblings’

Steve Lewis Further Disses Todd English, Calls for Peace