Celebrity Chefs Weigh In on California’s Minimum Wage Hike

Celebrity chef and host of “Restaurant: Impossible,” Robert Irvine, well-known for his resilience in aiding struggling eateries, asserts that California’s recent implementation of a $20 minimum wage has set a precedent with potential nationwide ramifications. Speaking to Fox Business, Mr. Irvine expressed concern that this move could catalyze similar actions in other states, spelling trouble for small businesses. “This is Robert Irvine predicting we’re going to lose about 20-plus percent of our small, mom-and-pop business because what California has actually done is going to enable other states to do the same thing,” Mr. Irvine warned. He emphasized that the issue extends beyond California, characterizing it as a widespread concern across the nation, stating “Now California has done it, has opened the gateways to other states to raise that minimum wage.”...