Fans demand James Corden apologize to Balthazar staff instead of its rich owner Keith McNally

Fans aren’t buying James Corden‘s apology to the owner of NYC restaurant Balthazar, claiming he’s only sorry he was caught ‘abusing’ staff and demanding that he apologize to the waiters he berated instead of their rich boss. 

Corden was outed on Instagram by restaurateur Keith McNally who shamed him over two incidents – one in June and another in October. 

‘James Corden is a Hugely gifted comedian, but a tiny Cretin of a man. And the most abusive customer to my Balthazar servers since the restaurant opened 25 years ago,’ McNally wrote in his scandalous Instagram post yesterday. 

Hours later, McNally posted an update – that Corden had phoned to apologize ‘profusely’, and that he was no longer banned from the restaurant.

‘Anyone magnanimous enough to apologize to a deadbeat lay about like me (and my staff) doesn’t deserve to be banned from anywhere. Especially Balthazar….all is Forgiven,’ he said. 

But fans haven’t been so quick to forgive – and many are lobbing skepticism at Corden’s apology. 

James Corden might have been forgiven by the owner of NYC hotspot Balthazar, but the restaurant’s fans and customers haven’t been quite as merciful. Corden is shown above in his pre-recorded TV show last night 

Keith McNally last night told fans and followers that Corden had phoned him to apologize ‘profusely’ for how he treated the restaurant’s staff. His ban was then revoked 

Not so fast, Corden! Balthazar loyalists and McNally’s Instagram followers were skeptical about Corden’s apology and demanded that he return to the restaurant to apologize directly to the staff he ‘abused’ 

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‘Funny how he was apologetic after every news outlet picked up this story,’ said one of McNally’s followers.

‘My guess is there little to no sincerity in his apology but he realizes the tide is turning or has turned. He’s jumped the shark for me,’ said another. 

‘Would he have apologized if he weren’t called out?’ asked another. 

Others demanded that Corden go back to Balthazar hat-in-hand, to apologize to the staff in person.

‘I hope he has the humility to rock over to Balthazar with a massive bunch of flowers, a massive apology and a massive tip for the server who had to put up with his entitled nonsense,’ said one of McNally’s followers. 

It was business as usual at the restaurant in Soho last night and again this morning as New Yorkers ignored the Corden saga 

A New York institution: The dining room at Balthazar last night as staff prepared for the busy dinner service 

The original post that shamed Corden: McNally described two incidents in which Corden mistreated his staff 

Staff at Balthazar declined to discuss the issue this morning. It was a normal breakfast crowd at the Soho eatery on Tuesday morning.

Restaurant owner Keith McNally, born in London who now runs some of New York’s most exclusive hotspots 

McNally has not commented beyond his Instagram posts. 

The London-born restaurateur also owns Manhattan hotspots Minetta Tavern and Morandi. 

His original post labeled Corden the most abusive customer Balthazar had ever seen in its 25 years in business in New York. 

The first incident was in June. Corden found a hair in one of the meals in his party. 

‘Although this is diabolical, it happens very occasionally in all restaurants,’ the manager from the shift noted in their report. 

‘Corden was extremely nasty and said: “Get us another round of drinks this second. And also take care of all of our drinks so far.” 

The manager said he also threatened to write a ‘nasty review of Yelp.’ 

The second incident was in October. Corden’s wife, Julia, had ordered an egg-yolk omelette with cheese and a side salad.   

Corden and his wife Julia dining at Scott’s in London’s Mayfair. One of Corden’s explosions was over Julia’s egg-yolk omelette being served with a ‘little egg white’ 

Corden exploded over the fact that not only was the dish served with a ‘little bit of egg white mixed with the egg yolk’, but that when the kitchen remade the dish, they sent it out with a side of home fries instead of Julia’s desired salad. 

‘That’s when James Corden began yelling like crazy to the server: “You can’t do your job! You can’t do your job! Maybe I should go into the kitchen and cook the omelette myself!’ McNally wrote. 

He said the general manager offered free glasses of champagne to smooth over the issue, and that Corden was ‘pleasant’ to him but not the server. 

‘I don’t often 86 a customer, to today I 86’d Corden,’ McNally said. 

Corden has not issued any kind of public statement about the controversy.