[Update: Aug. 18, 2025, 5:10pm] Representatives from Memento Mori, the parent company of Ospi Montecito, told the Independent that the individual who was found dead early Monday morning was not a dishwasher employed by the restaurant. He was a member of a cleaning crew employed by a third-party contractor.
Nick Asoli, director of Operations for Memento Mori, stated that “nobody was pressured” to continue working, and that no regular employees were scheduled to arrive until after the property was cleared by authorities. “Nobody was told they would be fired, and everybody was given the option to leave or not come to work,” Asoli said.
All proper law enforcement procedures were followed, Asoli said, and the building was cleaned, decontaminated, and cleared of any hazardous materials. He refuted claims that employees were forced to work and clarified that Ospi Montecito would stay closed for the remainder of the day on August 18.
[Original Story]
The death of a man, believed to be a dishwasher, was reported at Ospi Montecito early Monday morning. Workers at the restaurant said they were feeling pressure to continue to work through the remainder of their shifts, despite concerns over health and public safety.
The Santa Barbara Police Department confirmed that dispatch received a call from the restaurant at 5:17 a.m., and that officers responded to the scene. As of noon on Monday, the department could not provide further details into the nature of the report.
Santa Barbara Sheriff’s Office spokesperson Raquel Zick could only verify a few details through the Coroner’s Office, since the incident occurred within Santa Barbara Police Department’s primary jurisdiction. Zick was able to confirm that a death occurred on site, but she could not address whether or not the cause of death was “suspicious,” or whether other public health agencies were notified of the death.
Staff members who asked not to be identified out of fear of retaliation told the Independent that the body of the man was found in the kitchen area and management was notified right away. According to staff, the body was since removed but no further reports were made to either the Occupational Safety and Health Administration or the Santa Barbara County Public Health Department.
Workers were reluctant to continue working, but they said they were pressured by management to continue the rest of their shifts, serving breakfast and lunch as usual despite the death of a man just hours before. Workers told the Independent they were told they could be fired if they refused to continue the remainder of their shifts.
The Independent called Ospi Montecito in attempts to contact management, but calls were met with an automated message saying the restaurant is “open until 9 p.m.” Representatives of Ospi — which also has locations in Venice, Brentwood, and Costa Mesa — did not immediately respond to email requests for comment.
