2010: The Year in Chef Crime

Restaurants are seemingly a hotbed of criminal activity, from the silly to the tragic, and this past year was no exception. Chefs have gotten in fist-fights over ingredient sourcing, sold cocaine in takeout containers, stolen credit cards and even tried to hire people to kill their wives. Below, the official Eater Blotter of the notable chef crimes of 2010.

Juan Carlos Cruz's Murder-for-Hire Plot
Former Food Network host and co-author of The Love Diet Juan Carlos Cruz went on trial this year for attempting to hire two men to kill his wife (the men ratted him out to the cops). No worries, though: his co-author Amy Reiley valiantly took up book-promotion duties.

Portland Chef Gets Arrested After Pork-Related Bar Brawl
Portland, Oregon chef Eric Bechard and founder of pork celebration Cochon 555 Brady Lowe were both arrested after getting in a fist fight outside a strip club after this year's event. It seems Bechard took issue with the non-local pigs used in the event. Charges were dropped, but needless to say Cochon 555's not heading back to Portland next year.

Restaurant Critic Beat Up for Bad Press
An Albany, New York restaurant owner hired some thugs to beat up a restaurant critic after receiving bad press. The trial was kind of a shitshow: no one got any jail time due to some inadmissible evidence.

Nate Appleman Arrested for Weapons Posession
Chipotle's Nate Appleman was arrested in New York for carrying a pocket knife while working at his former restaurant Pulino's. Appleman said he was using the two-inch long knife to break down boxes, to which we say: a likely story.

Virginia Soul Food Drug Ring Busted
After watching him for ten years, authorities arrested Fred Wills, Jr. for running a $9 million drug ring out of his restaurants. Wills later plead guilty.

Miscellaneous Chef Crime
· Chef Stole Customer Credit Cards Numbers to Buy Toy Cars
· New York Burrito Shop Owners Arrested for Growing Pot in the Basement...
· ...That Didn't Turn Out to Be Theirs
· Pastry Chef on Cake Boss Arrested on Underage Sexual Assault Charges

· All Chef Crime Coverage on Eater [-E-]