Gothamist

A non-profit newsroom, powered by WNYC.

Gothamist

WNYC Listen Live

Donate

 

 

Food

NJ Cook Arrested For Allegedly Spitting In Customer's Food

By

Nell Casey

Published Oct 22, 2014

Modified Oct 22, 2014

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 .

Is that you, Barth?

 

By

Nell Casey

Published Oct 22, 2014

Modified Oct 22, 2014

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

There's always an element of danger when dining out, whether it's critters in your food or fear of fellow patrons. We must put our trust in the people preparing and handling our food, hoping against hope they won't secretly degrade our meal with their bodily fluids. Which does happen on occasion. A chef at a pub in Budd Lake, NJ has been arrested for allegedly spitting into a customer's food. The customer's crime? Sending food back to be cooked more.

After the customer made the request, an employee of Kennedy's Pub observed cook John Stagg spitting into the dish before sending it back out to the table. The unnamed employee/hero then called the police, who arrested the cook, charging him with tampering with food and disorderly conduct. Stagg's rage issues are well-document; the cook spent over eight years in prison for an incident where he robbed and beat a gas station attendant.

The cook has obviously been fired from his job; "for someone to be able to do that, it’s unbelievable, unbelievable," said manager Marybeth Ball. The restaurant was given an inspection on Monday and allowed to stay open while it tended to several other health violations. Meanwhile, the unfortunate, 51-year-old victim of Stagg's crime was notified of what transpired with his meal. Unless Stagg was carrying some kind of disease or virus at the time of the incident, the ill effects should be purely emotional.

Tagged

bad cooks

John Stagg

kennedy's pub

new jersey

nj

spit

worst nightmares

Nell Casey

Read more

Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations

Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations

MORE food

Why NYC restaurants are playing coy about sustainability

Though it has multiple benefits, the practice remains popular for one basic reason: it saves money.

By

Samantha Dady

Published Oct 26, 2026

Where are the cheapest drinks in NYC? A new report details the city's average prices.

The median price of a cocktail in the city is now $16, and $9 for a draft beer.

By

Hannah Frishberg

Food

Where are the cheapest drinks in NYC? A new report details the city's average prices.

The median price of a cocktail in the city is now $16, and $9 for a draft beer.

By

Hannah Frishberg

North African restaurants are rare in NYC. These 10 are the best.

By

Robert Sietsema

10 dishes that demonstrate the delicious diversity of curry in New York City

By

Robert Sietsema

Frozen yogurt is back in New York City. So are the super long lines.

By

Sonia Rao

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 .