Melbourne waitress chips tooth in unprovoked assault

A waitress at a café in Melbourne's Essendon suburb suffered a chipped tooth after an unidentified woman struck plates of food into her face in an unprovoked assault captured on CCTV footage.

The incident occurred on Anzac Day, April 25, just before 1 p.m. outside La Vallee Café on Keilor Road. The waitress, who is originally from France, was carrying three plates to outdoor diners when she nearly collided with the woman walking in the opposite direction. Footage shows the woman batting the plates upward into the waitress's face before slamming them downward, scattering the food. The waitress stood stunned as the woman walked away.

Café owner Josh Rabie said the employee was shaken but has returned to work in good spirits, supported by colleagues. "She's back at work, which is great to see," Rabie told reporters. The waitress has since had her tooth repaired, and the café reported the matter to Victoria Police.

La Vallee posted the CCTV clip on Instagram, appealing for help identifying the woman. "We are beyond shocked at the behaviour of this grown woman," the café wrote. "If you know her, please send us a private message. This incident led to one of our beautiful staff members...