Great White accused of reaching out to Asian influencers after racism allegations

Nearly a month after being accused of racially segregating Asian customers, Los Angeles cafe chain Great White is now reportedly contacting Asian food influencers for paid partnerships, according to a recent TikTok video posted by content creator Ed Choi. In the video posted Saturday, Choi shared a message he said he received claiming the cafe “is all of a sudden now trying to do paid partnerships with Asian food influencers.”

An Instagram Reel by artist Tom Everhart shows a dinner held at Great White’s Venice location, where his Japanese guests were seated prominently at the center of the restaurant as they shared a meal with staff and friends. In the caption, Everhart thanked co-owner Sam Trude for the invitation, writing, “A delicious night at Great White Venice with our Japanese friends! Thank you, Sam, for making it so sweet!” An overlaid caption on the video read, “A delicious night @greatwhite. Thank you for hosting our Japanese friends @samtrude [shark emoji] We love you!”

Choi criticized co-founders Sam Trude and Sam Cooper for what he described as using Asian creators to deflect criticism, calling it “the worst and most unintelligent PR move I’ve ever seen from Great White, Gran Blanco, and the Sams. I mean, it’s straight out of the 1800s!” Before comments on the post were disabled, several users questioned whether the dinner was an attempt to respond to the controversy, calling the caption “tone-deaf” and “performative.”

The backlash against Great White began last month after Cassidy Cho, a diner at its Melrose Avenue cafe, posted a TikTok video saying, “I don’t know if it’s just me, but they put all Asians in one corner.” Trude and Cooper have denied the claims, calling them “absolutely outrageous and completely false.” In statements to Eater LA, they said the restaurant’s name refers to a shark species and “has nothing to do with race.” The owners said Great White “welcomes everyone equally” and rejected assertions that staff were ever directed to discriminate against customers.

As the clip circulated widely online, former employees came forward with accounts that reinforced the diner’s claim, alleging that racial bias influenced management decisions at restaurants operated by Trude and Cooper. One former staff member told NBC 4 that she was instructed to seat Asian guests outdoors, while another recalled being told to tell certain groups the restaurant was full. The Los Angeles Times also spoke with nine current and former workers from Great White and Gran Blanco, with some describing discriminatory practices and others defending the workplace culture. Several employees claimed managers based guest decisions on “race, weight, ethnicity, and vibe.”