Gothamist
A non-profit newsroom, powered by WNYC.
Gothamist
Listen Live
Food
Celebrity Sommelier Arrested For Allegedly Setting Fire To Outdoor Dining Structures
By
Jake Offenhartz
Published Jul 29, 2021
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
Never miss a story
Email address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .
FDNY
By
Jake Offenhartz
Published Jul 29, 2021
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
We rely on your support to make local news available to all
Make your contribution now and help Gothamist thrive in 2026. Donate today
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
A celebrated sommelier and part-owner of a popular SoHo wine bar has been arrested for allegedly setting fire to multiple outdoor dining structures in Lower Manhattan.
Caleb Ganzer, the 35-year-old wine director and co-owner of Compagnie des Vins Surnaturels, was taken into custody on Thursday on a slew of arson and criminal mischief charges.
In one July 13th incident, a man in shorts and a jacket approaches the outdoor dining structure outside Prince Street Pizza at 3 a.m. Video shows him sparking a lighter under napkin dispensers on separate sides of the shed, before casually walking away down the street.
Authorities said that Ganzer was responsible for that fire, as well another set at Forsythia just before midnight earlier this year. In June, he allegedly started a rubbish fire at the corner of Broome and Centre street.
“Every act of arson has the potential to spread rapidly, endangering the lives of New Yorkers and FDNY members,” Fire Commissioner Daniel A. Nigro said in a statement. “Thankfully in these incidents there were no injuries and the suspect has been apprehended before another fire could be set.”
Ganzer (left) and the aftermath of a fire he allegedly set at Prince Street Pizza (right)
FDNY
All three incidents happened within blocks of Compagnie des Vins Surnaturels, where Ganzer has worked since 2016. That same year, he won a “Best New Sommelier” award from Wine & Spirit Magazine. Before that, Ganzer worked at the ritzy, Michelin-starred Eleven Madison Park.
In a statement, a spokesperson for Compagnie des Vins Surnaturels said that the restaurant was "aware of the incident, and Mr. Ganzer is on a leave of absence." A request for comment left at a phone number listed for Ganzer has not yet been returned.
Last year, he announced that he was running for president on a campaign that included returning civility to politics. The run did not gain much traction.
The Manhattan District Attorney will prosecute the case against Ganzer.
Tagged
fire
arson
outdoor dining
Jake Offenhartz
Jake Offenhartz is a former Gothamist reporter.
Read more
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
MORE food
10 dishes that demonstrate the delicious diversity of curry in New York City
The global dish is shapeshifting and ubiquitous.
By
Robert Sietsema
Published Sep 12, 2026
Frozen yogurt is back in New York City. So are the super long lines.
Is it worth the high price and ridiculous wait? Gothamist needed to find out.
By
Sonia Rao
Food
Frozen yogurt is back in New York City. So are the super long lines.
Is it worth the high price and ridiculous wait? Gothamist needed to find out.
By
Sonia Rao
5 NYC banana puddings as good as Magnolia's
By
Hannah Frishberg
Where to eat in Greenpoint, Brooklyn right now, from Polish to Sichuan to Iberian
By
Robert Sietsema
Can a congressional candidate's dumpling diplomacy win over Queens’ immigrant communities?
By
Caroline Shin
Never miss a story
Catch up on the most important headlines with a roundup of essential NYC stories, delivered to your inbox daily.
Sign upEmail address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .