Gothamist
A non-profit newsroom, powered by WNYC.
Gothamist
Listen Live
Food
Restaurateur Threatens Top Chef Ilan Hall
By
John Del Signore
Published Sep 8, 2008
Modified Sep 8, 2008
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 .
By
John Del Signore
Published Sep 8, 2008
Modified Sep 8, 2008
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
J.E. Englebert, owner of Prime and Suzie Wong, has publicly threatened chef Ilan Hall (pictured), who won Top Chef during the show's second season. Englebert is outraged because he says Hall reneged on an agreement to run the kitchen at ¡pasé!, a Spanish eatery/lounge planned for Chelsea. According to the Post, Englebert has vowed to "rip his head off for screwing me! I thought we had a done deal... He may be a reality-TV star, but this doesn't give him the right to act like an ass. If he was nervous about putting money into the space, he should have talked to me man to man, not running like a dog with his head between his legs." How do dogs run like that? For his part, Hall says he agreed to "consult a little bit" but nothing more, and calls the situation "bizarre." Which might also describe the cuisine at his upcoming L.A. restaurant Gorbles, which he calls "old Jewish food, date-raped by bacon."
Tagged
Ilan D. Hall
J.E. Englebert
restaurant
top chef
John Del Signore
Originally from the Albany area, John Del Signore has called NYC home since 1995. In addition to his thousands of meticulously-crafted bespoke blog posts for Gothamist, his writing has also been published in The Awl, Deadspin, The Nervous Breakdown, and performed at The Brick Theater in Brooklyn.
Read more
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
MORE 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
Published Oct 19, 2026
North African restaurants are rare in NYC. These 10 are the best.
Egyptian, Moroccan, Algerian and Tunisian food is delicious but underrepresented in the city.
By
Robert Sietsema
Food
North African restaurants are rare in NYC. These 10 are the best.
Egyptian, Moroccan, Algerian and Tunisian food is delicious but underrepresented in the city.
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
5 NYC banana puddings as good as Magnolia's
By
Hannah Frishberg
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 .