Grub Street’s Most Wanted: Check-Kiting Chef a Repeat Offender?When we Googled the name of Ralph Landi, the “Christian chef” who was accused of stealing a laptop and writing checks to himself at a soon-to-open midtown restaurant, we saw he had bounced around country and became immediately suspicious, as we always are of chefs who seek work outside of our fine city (especially in Vegas!). Sure enough, a former employer writes in with a bizarre tale about Landi that is best read in the voice of John Walsh.
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‘Christian Chef’ Accused of Stealing from Midtown RestaurantThe Post today reports that one Ralph Landi — apparently inspired by the Neroni affair? — was arrested for signing checks to himself and pilfering a laptop while working as a cook at a West 36th Street restaurant. Assuming our Google results refer to the same Ralph Landi, this isn’t the first time the man — self-described as “3 Star Rated by the NY Times” on his personal Website (now defunct) — has rubbed people the wrong way. Just look at a post on the Christian Chef’s Fellowship bulletin board asking him to “permanently refrain from trying to find employment through this website.” (Landi’s e-mail address around that time? Christianchef@comcast.net.) The Post didn’t name the place that pressed charges against Landi, but our NYPD source says the company of the restaurant in question (to be opened sometime within the next month) was Paramani Ltd., located at 38 West 36th Street. So, yeah— they might just be hiring.
Related: NYPD Daily Blotter [NYP]