In the ongoing battle of wage disputes, throwdown man Chef Bobby Flay is the latest to become embroiled. According to the Village Voice, Flay has agreed to pay $800,000 to settle claims filed by former employees of his Mesa Grill, Bar Americain, Bobby Flay Steakhouse, and Bolo restaurants. Though Flay denies any wrongdoing, the settlement came about with the intention of avoiding formal court proceedings.
According to Business Week, the same thing seems to be happening to the food facilitators of the U.S. Open. Daniel Yahraes, a former employee at the …

Following in a long list of notable restaurants sued for labor violations, the famed Cipriani is the latest to become ensnared. A lawsuit filed Monday on behalf of past and current servers and bartenders alleges that the Cipriani restaurant group withheld tips intended for workers and shaved time from paychecks. According to lawyers representing the workers, the lawsuit is intended to recover “misappropriated service charges, misappropriated gratuities, and unpaid minimum wages.”
Attorney Joseph A. Fitapelli stated, “Patrons at catered events often believe that their gratuities go to the wait staff that …

Writer Bret Thorn at Nation’s Restaurant News noted yesterday that one of our favorite chefs, Eric Ripert, was recently honored at a gala event in New York City for his work with City Harvest.
Held at Cipriani in Manhattan, Ripert, Rachel Ray, and other contributors were recognized for their efforts to combat the hunger crisis through support of City Harvest. Chef Ripert personally pledged to donate $1 to City Harvest for each individual who dined at Le Bernardin. He also helped to raise an additional $45,000 by offering to provide a …

Posted by R.K. Gella
The popular speculation once had been that New York City landmarks, at face of an impending recession, would be among the lucky institutions to survive the economic storm.  Today the speculation would be at odds to muster even anemic support.
Over the weekend, citing the recession as its executioner, the famed Rainbow Grill announced its departure from 30 Rockefeller Plaza.  Although the 75–year–old Rainbow Room will continue on with cocktails and banquet affairs, the Rainbow Grill is expected to shutter as immediately as Jan. 12.
“It’s a very difficult …

Was it for the efforts of New York Post food writer Steve Cuozzo and his plea for mercy?  Or was it that more than a thousand jobs were to face abdication?
Either the factor, the State Liquor Authority granted the Cipriani family their liquor licenses, which were under the threat of revocation following the cited four-dozen violations that occurred in nine of the family’s venues.  These establishments included the famed Rainbow Room at Rockefeller Center, Harry Cipriani at the Sherry Netherland Hotel and Cipriani Wall Street.
The case was ruled 2-1 in favor of accepting the …

It really does seem like a new building goes up every week in this city.  Today The New York Observer unveiled its list of the 100 Most Powerful People in New York Real Estate.  Making the list were financiers, media tycoons, even web site developers (the man behind Craigslist). 
There was no shortage of the restaurant type either; from food critics to bellhop turned restaurateur, they were all represented.
#24 Danny Meyer
President of Union Square Hospitality Group
“The restaurateur from St. Louis triggered the transformation of an entire neighborhood with the opening of …