Chef Attacked by Employee Fears Repeated Assault

Safety at Work

Brandon, VT (WorkersCompensation.com) – A Vermont chef who was attacked by an employee said he fears the man could come after him again.

Café Provence chef and owner Robert Barral, 72, said he is lucky to be alive after Jozef Eller allegedly used a large knife to attack him. Ellar, who had worked for Barral, is now charged with attempted murder.  

“He was very enraged. You could see it in his face,” Barral said. “I kicked him, and he dropped his knife and went to pick it up. Later, I grabbed a stool and threw it at his face, then he charged again.”

In April, Eller was arrested in Rochester after he fled the restaurant. According to a court affidavit, Eller entered Café Provence despite having received a no trespass order in August 2024. When Barral confronted Eller to remind him of the no trespass order, court documents said Eller attacked Barral with a knife, stabbing him several times. Barral suffered wounds to his head, left shoulder, left hand and his right finger, officials said.

Barral survived the attack and was treated at Rutland Regional Medical Center, officials said.

Multiple witnesses saw the attack, according to the affidavit.

“We believe that the affidavit describes a vicious attack in broad daylight at the victim’s place of employment,” Rutland County State’s Attorney Ian Sullivan said in April. “The severity of the attack, we believe, is demonstrated by the number and placement of the wounds the victim received from Mr. Eller’s attack.”

Officials said Eller had worked at Café Provence for some time but had quit more than a year ago due to declining mental health, the affidavit said.

Eller could face a minimum of 20 years in prison up to life imprisonment if found guilty on the charge of second-degree attempted murder.

Barral said Eller came to the restaurant looking for someone to hurt.

“His face was covered in charcoal; his hands were black as well. He was in a hunting mood. I was his prey,” Barral said.

Barral said he had worked with Eller for a number of years until a series of incidents caused the relationship to deteriorate.

“When he was taking his medication, he was fine. He was in his corner doing his preparations, very silent. Then one day, he decided not to take them anymore,” Barral said. “That’s when he went quickly down.”

On Thursday, a judge ruled that after undergoing a psychiatric evaluation, Ellar was found not competent to stand trial. While he awaits another hearing about hospitalization, Eller remains behind bars.

Barral said he forgives Eller, but that he worries about what could happen if he is released.

“I forgive him. I have no resentment,” he said. “Even if we have a no trespassing order on him, that didn’t stop him the last time with a big knife in his hand. He came here with the intention of killing me; that was clear. If he didn’t break his knife on my head, I’d be dead right now.”

Barral said he’s thankful for the support from the community that rallied around him after the attack.

Attacks on bosses are not uncommon.

In July, a McDonald’s worker was arraigned for allegedly stabbing and killing her manager. The Eastpointe, Michigan worker, Afeni Muhammad, 26, was charged with first-degree murder.

Police said Muhammad and her manager got into an argument for which the manager sent Muhammad home. She allegedly said, “I’ll be back” as she left for the day.

The prosecution said after the argument, Muhammad went to a nearby park before returning to the restaurant and attacking the manager with a knife.

In November of last year, an employee attacked his boss outside of the restaurant he worked at after the employee was fired.

The police in Memphis, Tenn., said Mckale Reeves was arrested outside of La Fogata Bar and Grill when he got into an altercation with his former employer. After being fired, Reeve confronted the woman about his last check. When the confrontation escalated, he grabbed the victim by her wrist, pushed her against a wall and stole several blank paychecks from her.

After the confrontation, Reeves went to his vehicle and retrieved a handgun, then entered the restaurant. When an employee attempted to stop him, he punched the employee. Co-workers were able to calm Reeves down. The victim he had previously attacked was one of the restaurant’s owners.

Reeves was arrested and charged with robbery and assault.

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