New Witness In ‘Frugal Gourmet’ Sex Case Says Smith Fondled, Kissed Teen In Tacoma Restaurant In Early 1970s
An attorney says he saw “Frugal Gourmet” Jeff Smith fondle and kiss a high-school-age boy at his Tacoma restaurant in the early 1970s.
The allegation from William Metcalf of Olympia, is contained in a sworn affidavit signed Saturday, The Sunday Oregonian newspaper reported.
Smith was sued last month in Pierce County Superior Court in Tacoma, by a 36-year-old man who says Smith used alcohol, threats and physical force to get him to engage in sex when he was a 15-year-old student in a vocational education program at the Chaplain’s Pantry in Tacoma, a restaurant and catering store Smith owned and operated.
The lawsuit, which seeks unspecified damages, was filed by George Heitman of Gig Harbor, Wash. It alleges Smith is a pedophile who preyed on his young employees.
Smith, 58 - host of a popular TV cooking show and author of several best-selling cookbooks - denies the allegations in the complaint, as he has denied past accusations.
When told of Metcalf’s affidavit, Smith attorney Ed Winskill said Saturday: “I don’t know this person, but to me, this report just doesn’t sound credible.”
Metcalf, 62, said the incident he witnessed occurred after he dined at the Chaplain’s Pantry with about two dozen members of the St. John’s Episcopal Church Adult Group of Olympia.
At the time, Metcalf was an administrative law judge for the state of Washington, an appointed post that involves settling disputes within the government.
The group decided on Smith’s restaurant because “we had read … about the international cuisines which a minimum number of people could have specially prepared for them” there, he said.
After Smith prepared their multicourse dinner, he pointed out the store adjoining the restaurant. Metcalf decided to buy some Szechwan peppercorns, at the time not easy to find.
Then he “started back to the dining area, but I took a wrong turn and walked into the kitchen area. The doorway to a small dish-washing room was open, and as I passed it, I saw the ‘bus boy’ … lying on a long table with Jeff Smith standing next to him,” he said in the affidavit, which was prepared for Heitman’s attorneys.
“The boy’s feet were pointed in my direction, and Smith’s back was turned. Smith had his right hand in or on the fellow’s pants fly, and Smith was actively massaging him. He was bent over kissing the boy.”
Metcalf said he watched for only for a moment before walking quickly to the dining area.
He said he did not mention the incident to others in the church group “for the obvious reason,” but told others about it years later after he saw Smith on television.
Metcalf said he considers himself “semi-retired,” but he still practices law and handles some cases.