Ludo Lefebvre, Funny or Die video poke fun at Cafe Gratitude, Red Medicine

By Jenn Harris

July 17, 2013 6 PM PT

Vegan food in L.A. is all about sunshine, smiles, peace, love and unicorns right? Not when you’re in a Funny or Die video.

Chef Ludo Lefebvre (Ludo Bites, Trois Mec) makes his comedic debut in the new Funny or Die video “Cafe Attitude,” which pokes fun at the Cafe Gratitude vegan chain of restaurants and service in Los Angeles.

The video focuses on three friends who intend to visit Cafe Gratitude but instead end up at Cafe Attitude. Lefebvre, the fast-talking Frenchman who stars on ABC’s cooking competition show “The Taste” as a judge, shows off his acting chops when he makes an appearance as a disgruntled would-be customer.

“You know what is hospitality?” screams Lefebvre in his signature French accent. “Look in the dictionary!”

Lefebvre has come to the restaurant to ask why he was called a flake last night on the restaurant’s Twitter account -- an obvious nod to Red Medicine adopting the same practice a couple of months back after calling out some customers on Twitter who made reservations and then never showed.

Meanwhile, the group of friends in the video, played by Josh Meyers (brother to SNL actor Seth Meyers), Tara Copeland (“30 Rock”) and Ria Bellafiore are looking forward to a peaceful vegan meal full of compassion and loving service from Cafe Gratitude, a company whose actual website states “We practice business through a view of love we call Sacred Commerce.” An I-hate-my-life-so-I’m-going-to-make-sure-you-hate-yours-too waiter played by Gale Harold (“Queer as Folk”) rudely interrupts that fantasy.

The video continues with Harold’s refusal to give the group of friends more than a minute to decide on lunch and his ordering chicken sandwiches made of white full-of-gluten bread, processed fried chicken and lots of mayonnaise for the entire table.

Who knows? Maybe Lefebvre has a future in acting if the whole I’ve-got-a-hot-new-restaurant-called-Trois Mec thing doesn’t work out.

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*This post was updated July 17, 2013 at 7:37 p.m.. An earlier version of this post included an incorrect spelling of actor Gale Harold’s last name.