A relationship between one of Northwest Indiana's best-known steakhouses and a celebrity chef ended on the eve of Valentine's Day, after 11 weeks.Jillian Flathers, a finalist in the eighth season of the hit Fox show "Hell's Kitchen," announced Friday she resigned as executive chef of Freddy's Steakhouse. She had started the job on Dec. 1.Conflict heated up in the kitchen of Freddy's, a half-century-old steakhouse on Kennedy Avenue in Hammond's Hessville neighborhood. The difference of opinion was stronger than if someone had ordered a steak well-done.In a news release, Flathers cited a hostile work environment, mismanagement, and quality standards she does not want to be associated with as reasons for her resignation. Freddy's owner Jim Kamradt said she created a hostile work environment for waitresses by yelling at them, and was constantly texting and on her phone.
Kamradt said he understood she was moving on so she could audition for another reality cooking show. Flathers denied in the release she was currently auditioning for any network television shows."However, if she were to be invited, she'd like to remind producers that she is currently available," the release said.Martin Gomez, who has cooked at Freddy's for two years, replaces Flathers as executive chef.Diners should not expect much change, Kamradt said. Flathers had run specials of filet mignon and other cuts that have already been on the menu for years, and was not expected to stay long anyway."Chefs'e and they go," he said.
Freddy's Steakhouse is a Northwest Indiana institution that has been around for more than 53 years. The vintage steakhouse is best known for big steaks, poor boy steak sandwiches, and a time-capsule ambiance where the lighting is dim and Frank Sinatra is often crooning in the background.General manager Valerie Martinelli, who had worked with Flathers at the Radisson Hotel at Star Plaza in Merrillville, brought the cooking'petition show finalist to Freddy's so she could revamp and freshen up the menu. Flathers had finished third on celebrity chef's Gordon Ramsey's long-running reality show in 2010.Flathers said in a statement she had grown both personally and professionally while working at Freddy's, but had to think of her personal brand.