Hamptons Yacht Club Forced to Suspend Restaurant Service After Kitchen Staff Face Visa Problems

AMAGANSETT, N.Y. — An exclusive yacht club in the Hamptons was forced to temporarily suspend its restaurant service this week after several members of its kitchen staff were required to leave the United States because of visa complications.

The Devon Yacht Club in Amagansett notified members that dinner service would be canceled for several days after problems involving H-2B visas for its cooks.

Kitchen Staff Forced to Leave

According to a notice sent to club members, the visa situation had not been resolved, requiring the affected workers to return to their home countries before they could seek renewed authorization to work in the US.

The club said the problem may have resulted from an oversight involving the paperwork process, although it was not immediately clear whether responsibility lay with an outside representative or an immigration agency.

The H-2B program allows US employers to hire foreign workers for temporary, nonagricultural positions, including seasonal hospitality jobs.

Dining Service Canceled

With several cooks suddenly unavailable, Devon Yacht Club canceled its Wednesday dinner service and offered only a limited selection of food on Thursday evening.

Club officials told members they were working to find replacement kitchen workers and hoped to resume at least limited restaurant service by Friday.

The disruption is particularly notable because the club operates as a private, members-only facility with a reputation for exclusivity.

An Exclusive Hamptons Institution

Founded in 1908, Devon Yacht Club is located along Gardiner’s Bay in Amagansett and has long been associated with the wealthy summer community of the Hamptons.

The club reportedly has an initiation fee of around $100,000, reflecting its highly exclusive membership.

Its past and present social connections have included prominent figures from entertainment, business and high society.

Visa Problems Create Seasonal Challenges

The situation illustrates how dependent parts of the hospitality industry can be on seasonal workers.

H-2B employees are commonly used by businesses that experience increased demand during particular seasons. When visa applications or renewals encounter problems, employers can suddenly face staffing shortages at critical times.

For a seasonal club in the Hamptons, losing experienced kitchen employees in the middle of the summer season can have an immediate impact on operations.

Club Remains Hopeful

Devon Yacht Club has said it is working to restore normal food service as quickly as possible.

The club has not publicly assigned responsibility for the visa complications, and federal immigration authorities had not immediately provided further details.

For members, the result was an unusual disruption: a prestigious yacht club accustomed to serving its clientele suddenly found itself without enough kitchen staff to operate its restaurant normally.

The club hopes the issue will be resolved soon and that regular dining service can return with minimal further disruption.