Michelin bistro owner condemns abuse and $300 walkout

The owner of Michelin-selected Ode Bistro in North Adelaide has called for more respect for hospitality workers after a Queensland woman allegedly ran up a $300 bill, abused staff and left without paying.

Police arrested the woman at the restaurant for disorderly behaviour. She was released with a caution. However, police have told the business it will need to pursue the unpaid bill through civil channels if it wants to recover the money.

Footage of the incident shows the woman shouting at staff while another customer tries to intervene. She allegedly accused workers of not belonging in Australia.

“I live in Australia ... you do not live in Australia ... you are not Australian,” she is heard yelling.

She also claimed she was feeling “very violated” when confronted about the bill.

The abuse appeared to escalate when another diner stepped in to defend staff, with the woman directing a string of profanities at him.

“He’s an absolute monster,” she is heard yelling.

“He’s a c***. He’s a c***.”

Owner Simon Ming eventually stepped in to try to defuse the situation.

“For that moment, I couldn’t handle it anymore... I said, ‘let’s just calm down everyone’,” he said.

Celebration soured

The incident comes as the restaurant celebrates its recent inclusion in South Australia’s first Michelin Guide. Ming said the confrontation had taken some of the shine off the recognition and left staff shaken.

“We already hurt our reputation ... we already hurt the feeling of our staff,” he said.

Ming said he may not pursue the unpaid bill.

“If that’s the case ... I’ll probably have to let it go,” he said.

He has since shared the footage publicly to highlight the abuse hospitality workers can face, and wants customers to understand that bill disputes should be resolved through conversation rather than aggression.

“Instead of having this kind of honest conversation ... people start being aggressive and discriminated ... just trying to avoid paying the bill,” he said.

Jonathan Jackson, 4th November 2026