Devon Yacht Club halts dining after foreign kitchen staff forced to leave the U.S.

Devon Yacht Club, an ultra-exclusive waterfront club in Amagansett, announced the suspension of its members-only restaurant after several foreign kitchen workers were ordered to leave the United States due to unresolved H-2B visa approvals. The club’s letter to members said the oversight—whether by the filing agent, attorney, or immigration officials—requires the staff to stay abroad for a minimum of 60 days before a new visa can be issued.

Consequently, Wednesday dinner and Thursday service were cancelled, with hopes of a limited lunch reopening on Friday. The club, which charges roughly $100,000 for membership and counts historic figures such as the parents of Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis among its past patrons, is also facing internal conflict over a $35 million redevelopment plan, sparking lawsuits and member expulsions. Founded in 1908 by the Procter and Lever families, the club is situated in the affluent Devon Colony near Gardiner’s Bay. Officials from the Department of Homeland Security, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and the East Hampton Town Police Department have not responded to inquiries.