« Today, I’m speaking. Not for fun. Not to make noise. I do it because, unfortunately, I feel like it’s the only way to be heard and to make things move. » In an Instagram post shared on the evening of Sunday, April 27, Kim Chabaud, Global Marketing and Partnerships of the Hoxton, accused Hubert Niveleau, co-founder of the successful pop-up tables Piccolo and Vecchio, of drugging her without her knowledge. The incident reportedly occurred during a private party at Piccolo, located on the 6th floor of Perchoir Ménilmontant (11th).
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« Someone I knew and liked »
In a carousel of seven slides, Kim Chabaud describes how she caught Hubert Niveleau, the presumed culprit, one of her long-time friends and professional connections, putting a substance in her drink. According to her account, after ordering a soda around 10 PM, the 32-year-old woman was chatting with the manager and co-founder of the place, and «caught him quickly sprinkling my glass with a whitish powdery substance », she writes.
Witnessing a suspicious act but feeling secure, Kim jokingly says to her conversation partner: « What are you doing, are you putting MD in my drink or what? ». Hubert Niveleau changes the topic, « as if nothing happened ». « I wonder if I really saw that. Yet, I’m sober », Kim Chabaud recalls. As a precaution, she decides to take only 2-3 sips.eacute;es, a sufficient amount to feel the “ first troubling effects ”.
A complaint filed for chemical submission
Around 10:30 PM, while still chatting with the manager of Piccolo, the young woman begins to be overwhelmed by hot flashes. All the signs are flashing red: “My head is spinning, a dark veil is appearing, my jaw is tightening,” she lists. Eager to reunite with her friends to leave quickly, Kim Chabaud explains that she tried to end their conversation, to which the man responded: “ Give me a kiss ” while pointing to his cheek, insisting twice. Not giving in, she leaves the restaurant accompanied by her loved ones and first heads home, then to the emergency room, as “the effects continue to intensify.” Once there, the verdict is delivered: “Suspicion of chemical submission.”ue to GHB ».
Since then, Kim Chabaud has filed a complaint for chemical submission. Although she could support her version with testimonies from her friends, the young woman regrets that she could not obtain any evidence regarding the presence of GHB in her blood, as the substance is eliminated very quickly from the body, especially when administered in small doses.
Three other similar testimonies
Right after her post was published, Kim Chabaud's message sparked an outcry in the Parisian food scene and the media. In the comments, the young woman received support from a multitude of personalities, including feminist journalist Clarence Edgard-Rosa, author Morgane Ortin, and chef Jordan Moilim, as well as about a hundred anonymous individuals who came to thank her for speaking up.
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© Instagram Screenshot
Her testimony could just be the tip of the iceberg. After coming across Kim Chabaud's story, Adélie Vernhes, a press officer in catering and founder of the agency Polar Label, stated first in comments and then via an Instagram story that she too had been a victim of chemical submission at Vecchio in January 2024. However, she never filed a complaint and did not see "who was responsible", unlike Kim Chabaud. Two other testimonies have reportedly been received by her, who set up an email address (témoignages.piccolo@gmail.com) to gather the voices of women who have faced similar abuses at Piccolo or Vecchio.
© Instagram screenshot
As of today, Hubert Niveleau has not publicly reacted to the accusations. However, his lawyer, Master Robin Bisard, informs us that he "firmly contests the defamatory accusations made against him" and "regrets the consequences these have for his teams and those around him". The entire PERCHOIR group, "in shock", declares that it is "suspending immediately its collaboration with the service provider involved in the accusations" in a statement posted in their Instagram story. The co-founder has also reportedly stepped back from the Vecchio restaurant "while an internal investigation is conducted to clarify any potential responsibilities", the restaurant specifies.
