On August 4, 2026, ECBAWM filed a lawsuit on behalf of Devon Kunz, a 23-year-old former host and assistant manager at Azzurri Italian Cucina, a high-end restaurant on the Jersey Shore. The lawsuit names the restaurant, its owners Daniel and Kim DiDonato, and Head Chef Anthony Gentilella as defendants.

According to the lawsuit, defendants fostered “a sordid, dangerous, and hostile work environment for women.” The DiDonatos enabled, participated in, and were deliberately indifferent to a pattern of sexual harassment by their friend and Head Chef Anthony Gentilella, who subjected Ms. Kunz to repeated unwanted touching, including touching her breasts, and routinely degraded her with sexist and sexually explicit comments and slurs.

The lawsuit further asserts that members of the kitchen staff followed Gentilella’s example, culminating in a kitchen employee attempting to rape Ms. Kunz while the two were closing the restaurant one evening. After Ms. Kunz reported the assault to the police, she requested time off to recover. Rather than supporting her, the defendants retaliated against her by firing her.

The lawsuit seeks to hold the defendants accountable for their failure to take prompt and effective action to address harassment and discrimination in the workplace and for retaliating against her after she reported sexual misconduct and assault.

ECBAWM attorneys Zoe Salzman, Sana Mayat, and Vivake Prasad represent Ms. Kunz.