Bar Brava closes indefinitely after fallout from owner’s social media posts

James Beard-nominated Bar Brava is closed indefinitely after a public fallout over its owner’s comments about the Somali community on social media. The move comes after Sushi by Baaska, the popular pop-up that was hosting a residency at the Minneapolis natural wine bar, parted ways with Bar Brava over the comments.

On Friday, Bar Brava owner Dan Rice said he regrets not apologizing after the initial controversial post on his personal account in November. In it, he shared a message from President Donald Trump about federal agents coming into the state. Rice added the comment “today is the beginning of the end for Somali gang violence.”

He said he didn’t improve matters by trying to explain further in follow-up comments, including a post on Jan. 21. Rice added that he is working to put his apology, which came via an Instagram post on Bar Brava’s page, into action.

“It was certainly an insensitive comment to make,” he said. “During my time as a student at the University of Minnesota and trying to make sense of crime that was happening near me, I formed some opinions in my head that are not factual views of the world.”

Sushi by Baaska chef Baaska Tegshbileg said recent events involving federal immigration agents and the desire for community solidarity prompted discussions among Sushi by Baaska staff. That, coupled by the Bar Brava owner’s past social media posts that did not align with their values, ultimately led to their decision to exit. Known for its sold out pop-ups around town, Sushi by Baaska cut its residency short after two months.

“We don’t support any form of discrimination,” Tegshbileg wrote in a social media post. “Therefore, we’ve decided to end our residence at Bar Brava, we stand by our community especially in this difficult time.”

Sushi by Baaska sous chef Ernest Robledo elaborated on Instagram, saying in part “Dan (owner) has expressed openly his beliefs that do not align with those of my own or the Sushi By Baaska team.”

“In seeking to point out criminal behavior by a small group of individuals, I made generalizations, assumptions, and implied things about an entire community that were unfair, harmful, and divisive,” the statement said. “The consequences of my comments impacted not only me, but also my employees, friends, and family. I am deeply sorry and take full responsibility for my comments. An immense amount of personal growth has come from this. My hope is that repentance can be meaningful in an increasingly divisive world.”

Tegshbileg, along with others who have since commented on Rice’s post, questioned his sincerity.

“I’m not feeling that apology myself, but mainly I wanted him to apologize to the community and it’s up to the community whether they accept that,” Tegshbileg said. Ultimately, “he has to show it through his actions.”

Rice said the public sparring has cost him and his restaurant a reputation built on celebrating Minnesota’s immigrant food and cultures including through regular pop-ups. He said he has plans to eventually reopen Bar Brava in a way that shows that commitment and more.

“There’s a call to action that we mean what we say; we‘re here to do that hard work,” Rice told the Star Tribune. “We’re working on bringing in a Somali chef, providing community support on an ongoing basis with a percentage of sales donated, things like that. We’re still formulating exactly what this plans look like, but we’re here to build the trust back.”