Ritzy Hamptons catering biz owners engaged in buffet of harassment —even demanding servers for sex: suit

A “swinger” couple behind a ritzy East Hampton catering business is accused of serving not just food but their own sick appetites by propositioning their workers for sex, a scathing lawsuit claims. 

The owner of East Hampton Kitchen, Annie Washburn, and her partner, Michael Castiglione, constantly yapped about their private sex lives, pressured workers to join in the bedroom — and punished people who complained, the suit alleges.

Former catering manager Emma Beudert, who filed the lawsuit in Suffolk County last month, said the “frequent and unwelcome” sexual inquiries and open propositioning of staffers were “disruptive, unlawful and predatory.”

“Ms. Washburn and Mr. Castiglione were extremely inappropriate in the way they discussed and propositioned Ms. Beudert and others about their sex life,” according to Beudert’s lawsuit.

“This was perpetuated by the frequent unwelcome conversations and discussions about sex, as well as blatant invitations to obtain information from her about other employees with the goal of engaging in sexual activity with [Washburn] and or [Castiglione],” the suit alleges.

Beudert claims that the swinging couple’s behavior was so normalized, Castiglione even asked her non-work friends for sex almost immediately after meeting them at a concert, the suit explains.

“The East Hampton Kitchen, Ms. Washburn and Mr. Castiglione vehemently deny the fictional allegations contained in the [sic] Ms. Beudert’s complaint,” attorney Michael Garabedian told The Post.

Neither Beudert nor her attorney responded to a request for comment.

During her first week on the job in April 2024, she was driving in a van with Washburn when her new boss started talking to her about sex — or a lack thereof. 

Washburn, the suit claims, said her cancer-suffering partners failed to satiate her sexual appetite, detailing that her sexless 30’s was a result of her cancer patient ex-wife, and Castiglione, who she said currently was battling prostate cancer.

Beudert balked at the inappropriateness, and said so, the suit says.

Later that month, a kitchen worker showed her an obscene image of her nude boyfriend who had strategically placed an eggplant over his genitals.

Washburn, who was working alongside them, brushed off Beudert’s rejection of the digital peep show, and “instead of admonishing her employee, simply laughed and jokingly said, ‘Emma doesn’t like that stuff’ and then laughed some more, without addressing her concerns.”

The lawsuit contains several examples of staffers being propositioned to join their “open relationship,” with servers approaching Beudert to describe the uncomfortable asks for sex, sometimes taking place at high-profile events.

At a wedding in July, Washburn allegedly approached Beudert about a new cater working that night, saying she “had the hots for the red head,” and then asked if she was single.

Another staffer shared a disturbing boast by Castiglione about his open relationship, sharing that when Washburn desires another man for a bit of rumpy-pumpy, “Castiglione ‘high fives the men when they walk through the door,’” the suit alleges.

It’s unclear if the sex was to service the erotically-deprived Washburn alone or both lovers as a threesome.

That August, Beudert attended a non-work concert with the swinging couple and invited some of her friends to join — who said moments after the concert began that “Castiglione had propositioned her for sex and made her feel so uncomfortable that she wanted to leave the concert,” the suit claims. 

“Aww I feel bad Michael made Jenny feel uncomfortable,” Washburn said to Beudert when confronted. 

Beudert says that because she denied their sexual advances — and spoke up for her catering staff — Washburn and Castiglione eventually directly retaliated, the suit describes.

They started treating Beudert so harshly, giving her an “unmanageable” workload so burdensome that Washburn and Castiglione joined some staffers teasing her as “Cinderella” due to her obvious mistreatment, according to the filing.

Beudert resigned soon after. 

According to reports, she currently runs a “casino-style” sports betting bar in Southampton.