The Devon Yacht Club in Amagansett, known for its exclusivity and high initiation fees, has suspended its members-only restaurant service for several days after several kitchen staff were required to leave the country due to visa issues. The club, which reportedly charges around $100,000 in initiation fees, canceled its dinner service on Wednesday after losing its foreign cooks, as stated in a letter sent to members.
The letter indicated that the approval for H2B visas for the cooks was unresolved, which are special visas allowing U.S. employers to hire foreign nationals for seasonal or temporary positions. The letter noted, "It seems that an oversight either by the agent or attorney responsible for submitting our petition or perhaps by the US Immigration Office itself has resulted in a situation where our H2B kitchen staff must leave the country immediately and return to their home countries for at least 60 days before their visas can be renewed."
The club informed members that food service was also canceled on Thursday and would not resume until Friday’s lunch service, pending the resolution of the staffing issue. In the interim, the club offered a limited selection of bar bites on Thursday evening.
The Devon Yacht Club, founded in 1908 by the Procter and Lever families, is located in Devon Colony, a community known for its affluent residents. Recent months have seen internal disputes among members regarding the club's future, with discussions about potential demolition and reconstruction plans, leading to several lawsuits and expulsions of members who opposed the redevelopment project.
The Post reached out to the Department of Homeland Security, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and the East Hampton Town Police Department for further information but did not receive an immediate response.