Caveat: the language in Ms. Slut’s post is, in Homer’s words, “very Penthouse Forum.”

Infamous “Busted Chef” Daniel Kaufman pleaded not guilty to two felony charges in a Manhattan court yesterday, stemming from an incident last December when he allegedly stole his friend’s credit card.

Kaufman was arraigned on charges of grand larceny and criminal possession of stolen property, and released on his own recognizance. His trial is set to begin July 23.

On December 19, Kaufman allegedly stole his friend’s credit card while visiting him on the Upper East Side, and then made a purchase with it at a McDonalds near Penn Station. Kaufman was captured on McDonald’s security cameras at the same time the fraudulent charge was made on the credit card. The full criminal complaint can be found here. 

Formally, Kaufmann was arraigned on one count of fourth-degree grand larceny and one count of fourth-degree criminal possession of stolen property.

Meanwhile, as BHB reported last week, a Brooklyn DA spokesman said the office is still investigating Kaufman’s alleged crimes in Brooklyn Heights last summer, where he swindled customers out of more than $25,000 by running their credit cards through the machines after they ate at the Busy Chef, Oven, Blue Pig, or Wine Bar restaurants at the corner of Henry and Cranberry streets. 

According to the criminal complaint, Kaufman was arrested on Jan. 20 for an incident on Dec. 19 on the Upper East Side in which he allegedly stole a credit card from a friend, whose apartment he was visiting. He then made a purchase at a McDonald’s on the west side, where security cameras there captured his every move, the complaint states.

Cops charged him with a felony count of fourth-degree criminal possession of a credit card and one count of grand larceny. Read the full complaint here [pdf]. Kaufman is scheduled to be arraigned on the charges in Manhattan criminal court on June 23.

A call to his Legal Aid attorney was not immediately returned.

Meanwhile, prosecutors at the Brooklyn DA’s office are still investigating Kaufman’s alleged wrongdoings in Brooklyn Heights last summer, a spokesman said. Kaufman allegedly swindled customers out of more than $25,000 by running their credit cards through the machines after they ate at the Busy Chef, Oven, Blue Pig, or Wine Bar restaurants at the corner of Henry and Cranberry streets. That case has been removed from the city’s online criminal tracking system during the course of the investigation.

“I can tell you that our case is alive and well,” said DA spokesman Jonah Bruno. “We haven’t brought the indictment yet, but there is still a case there.”

(BHB/Sarah Portlock)

The fast-food joint Checkers opened on Tuesday at 111 Court St., in the former Busy Chef spot, bringing yet another hamburger option for Downtown Brooklynites. Franchise owner Shaista Siddiqui told BHB she’s excited “to become part of this community.”

The restaurant serves burgers, bacon-wrapped burgers, chicken sandwiches, chicken fingers, and delicious spicy fries. And, the milkshakes are thick and taste wonderful. Best of all, there’s a cute outdoor patio in the back if you weave around the hallway, past the bathrooms (see photo below).

The hotspot will be open late — on Monday through Thursday, it’s open from 11 am to 1 am, Friday and Saturday until 2 am, and Sundays until midnight. Safe to say, however, there is no drive-thru. But there are those milkshakes until 2 am!

Here are more pictures from yesterday’s grand opening:

PER CURIAM.Alan H. Young has submitted an affidavit dated November 7, 2008, wherein he tenders his resignation as an attorney and counselor-at-law (22 NYCRR 691.9). Mr. Young was admitted to the Bar at a term of the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court in the Second Judicial Department on February 21, 1973, under the name Alan Howard Young.

Mr. Young is aware that he is the subject of an investigation by the Grievance Committee for the Second, Eleventh, and Thirteenth Judicial Districts into allegations of irregularities in his attorney escrow account. He acknowledges his inability to successfully defend himself on the merits against any disciplinary charges which may be brought against him by the Grievance Committee based upon the facts and circumstances of professional conduct referred to herein and which may be brought to light in the future.

Mr. Young avers that his resignation is freely and voluntarily tendered and that he is not subject to coercion or duress by anyone. He has discussed his decision to resign with his attorney, and he is fully aware of the implications of its submission, including being barred by Judiciary Law § 90 and the Rules of the Appellate Division, Second Department, from seeking reinstatement for at least seven years.

Mr. Young is further aware that pursuant to Judiciary Law § 90(6-a), any order permitting him to resign could require him to make monetary restitution to any person or persons whose money or property was misappropriated or misapplied or to reimburse the Lawyers’ Fund for Client Protection for same. Mr. Young acknowledges that any order issued pursuant to Judiciary Law § 90(6-a) could be entered as a civil judgment against him and he specifically waives the opportunity afforded him by Judiciary Law § 90(6-a)(f) to be heard in opposition thereto.

The Grievance Committee recommends acceptance of the proffered resignation.

Inasmuch as the resignation complies with the requirements of 22 NYCRR 691.9, it is accepted and, effective immediately, Alan H. Young, admitted as Alan Howard Young, is disbarred, and his name is stricken from the roll of attorneys and counselors-at-law.
MASTRO, J.P., RIVERA, SPOLZINO, SKELOS and LEVENTHAL, JJ., concur.

Also, it took no time to update his online attorney profile.

There has been no word on whether Young will be charged or is suspected of being involved in any wrong doing in the “Busted Chef” case.  However, the Eagle report says that he is  under investigation on another matter:

The Brooklyn Law School graduate submitted his resignation in November, acknowledging “his inability to successfully defend himself on the merits against any disciplinary charges which may be brought against him…,” according to the Appellate Division, Second Department opinion and order issued in April.

Young was being investigated by grievance committees in three separate New York judicial districts, including the Second Judicial District, for alleged “irregularities in his attorney escrow account.” The Appellate Division immediately accepted his resignation, ordered his disbarment, and demanded that he immediately surrender his attorney secure pass.

The new Brooklyn Heights Wine Bar filed the sidewalk café application with Community Board 2’s transportation committee this month, and will present its plans at the committee’s meeting on June 16. Lahm has said that he hopes to open the bar within the next few weeks.

According to the application, Lahm and Montemarano want to construct and operate an unenclosed sidewalk café with six tables and 12 seats, and set up at the northwest corner of Cranberry Street at Henry Street.

The public can comment on the application at the meeting, which is at 6 pm on Tuesday, June 16, at St. Francis College (180 Remsen St., between Court and Clinton streets). The transportation committee will then make its recommendation to the full board.

Lahm also owns Henry’s End at 44 Henry St., and is partnering with Jim Montemarano, who owns the coffee shop Cranberry’s at 48 Henry St., on the wine bar project.

((Mark Lahm, left, of Henry's End, and Jim Montemarano, of Cranberry's, are opening the Brooklyn Heights Wine Bar in three weeks (BHB/Sarah Portlock))

The owners of the new Brooklyn Heights Wine Bar were out this morning putting final touches on their new space at 50 Henry St., and owner Mark Lahm said the spot will be open within the next three weeks.

“We wished we could have opened earlier, but there were things out of our control,” Lahm said. “There’s one piece of officialdom we haven’t gotten yet,” but did not elaborate.

On Friday, the State Liquor Authority approved their application and granted them their all-important liquor license. Part of the timing delay, Lahm has explained, is because they wanted to get their own license and not be affiliated in any way with the former Wine Bar at 50 Henry spot that closed in the wake of the Busy Chef scandal last summer.

The paper curtains were down today to reveal new furniture, but Lahm said the curtains might go back up while they put the finishing touches on the completely-redone space. They are also finalizing the menu, which he said early on would be a collection of small plates of cheeses, charcuterie, soups, and “interesting salads.”

Lahm also owns Henry’s End at 44 Henry St., and is partnering with Jim Montemarano, who owns the coffee shop Cranberry’s at 48 Henry St., on the wine bar project.

Looks like eviction proceedings against the many faces of the Busy Chef Empire were successful as this NYC Marshall’s notice posted at 60 Henry Street indicates.  No official word yet on whether bakery Sweet Melissa will take over the space.

Local blog Flappy Days reports that the Checkers burger chain will be moving into the former Busy Chef Space at 111 Court Street:

Flappy Days: As I was walking to work this morning, the door was open and two men were looking over plans, so I asked them what was coming in. Ladies and gentlemen, your new neighbor is:

Checker’s Restaurant

They also mentioned they’d be serving vegan burgers, although I don’t see those listed on the corporate site.

The Busy Chef Empire crumbled last summer over allegations of credit card fraud and identity theft.   Last month, the store and its affiliates were evicted from their Henry Street location.

BHB is currently seeking confirmation on this story.

Update: Jim Nellis at Checkers tells BHB via email:

Yes, I’m pleased to confirm a Checker’s Restaurant is scheduled to open at this location. Current plans call for a June opening and more details will be available as we get closer to the opening. Looking forward to becoming a part of the Brooklyn Heights community. Thanks for your interest.

The storefronts in question (BHB/Sarah Portlock)

And, the eviction notices posted in the window (BHB/Sarah Portlock)

Eviction notices went up today at the former Busy Chef spot at 60 Henry St., at the corner of Cranberry Street. The four signs are addressed to “John or Jane Doe” and several shell names that the partners behind the Busy Chef empire have long used, including The Busy Chef Oven, Julia’s Blue Pig, Rue Henri Corp, and XYZ Corp.

According to the notice text, the tenants will be formally evicted by April 1 if they do not respond to the city marshal.

A message left with the building’s management company, Solil Management, which filed the eviction notice, was not immediately returned.

A message left with Alan Young, who was involved in the enterprises, was also not immediately returned.

Does this mean an even sooner move-in date for Sweet Melissa Patisserie, whose owner Melissa Murphy said yesterday she wanted to come to the neighborhood and open a bakery and ice creamery in those storefronts.

Sweet Melissa Patisserie in Cobble Hill (photo courtesy Murphy)

Sweet Melissa’s Patisserie may be moving into the neighborhood by early summer — and taking over the former Busy Chef and Blue Pig spots at 60 Henry St.

Owner Melissa Murphy told the Brooklyn Heights Blog today that she’s always wanted to open in Brooklyn Heights, and that she’s had her eye on that corner at Cranberry Street for a while. She’s even scouting potential investors to help her with the expansion, she said.

“We’re trying to see if something’s possible,” Murphy said. “We’re really acting as if it’s going to happen, and we’re hoping that the universe helps us figure it out.”

There are two other Sweet Melissa’s in Brooklyn — one at 276 Court St. in Cobble Hill and one at 175 Seventh Ave. in Park Slope. The patisserie is best known for its cakes and other confections, all of which Murphy creates herself. Last spring, she opened an ice cream shop and sundae bar, and she said she wants to open a second creamery in the former Blue Pig spot.

As for the timing, Murphy said she hopes something can happen by early summer, depending on how negotiations go.

And, for the record, former Busy Chef partner Alan Young is still involved in the storefronts, but Murphy said she is in talks with him to fully take over the space.

“We’re looking for a deal that works for both of us so that Alan Young doesn’t need to be involved in the space any longer,” she explained.

Busy Chef at 111 Court St., taken earlier this month

The former Busy Chef hotspot at 111 Court St. has been rented to a new tenant, and looks like someone might be moving in shortly. Renovation and construction work has started, and building permits were issued on March 16.

But building owner Abe Gerges — who is also the King County acting administrative judge — would not disclose who signed the lease or what type of establishment it will be, saying only, “They will announce it when they are ready.”

The estimated $155,000 in renovations includes new walls, plumbing fixtures and a new mechanical system, according to Buildings Department records.

UPDATE: Gerges also adds that disgraced Busy Chef owner Alan Young will not be involved in the new enterprise. And also that the restaurant’s PR team won’t let Gerges talk about what’s coming, but a big announcement will come soon.
That said, the permits also say “no change in use,” so we can anticipate another food establishment to the spot.

We’ll stay on top of this developing story, but in the meantime, does anyone know what’s coming in?

The Department of Buildings still has to make final approvals, Lahm said, but he is in the space each day, creating the wine and tapas menu, and sorting out construction and the security system.

“We’re in there every single day doing work,” Lahm said. “Physically, we’re very, very close to be being ready to go but there’s a big obstacle in front of us. It’s not like we’re taking our time.”

He added, “We’ve been paying rent for a number of months. We don’t like being closed, but we don’t have the choice right now.”

Another snag is that the spot won’t have its liquor license until at least May — Lahm wanted his own independent license instead of taking one over from the former tenant, the Wine Bar at 50 Henry, which was run by the now-disgraced Dan Kaufman and his Busy Chef empire.

Lahm also owns Henry’s End at 44 Henry St., and is partnering with Jim Montemarano, the owner of Cranberry’s at 48 Henry St., on the wine bar project.

Kaufman, who managed former Brooklyn Heights establishments Wine Bar at 50 Henry, Busy Chef, Blue Pig Ice Cream, and Oven, was arrested in July 2008 for the alleged fraud, after which his businesses were shut down, causing dozens of workers to lose their jobs. After his arrest, Kaufman’s former partner and landlord Alan Young reportedly locked him out of his apartment. According to The Brooklyn Paper, some claim that Young was using Kaufman as a scapegoat for larger white-collar crimes.

Kaufman’s alleged fraud in Brooklyn was not the first time he has had financial troubles with restaurants. Prior to relocating to Brooklyn Heights, Kaufman owned the South Kitchen and Wine Bar in Boston. He opened the business back in 2005, and by 2006 its doors were closed. As the restaurant’s sales plummeted, Kaufman reportedly neglected to pay approximately $40,000 in rent to his former landlord, Michael Devlin.

Former South Kitchen executive chef Jerome Watkins said Kaufman was a “visionary” who had a very strong entrepreneurial spirit, but he kept financial information very secret.

“We were profitable, but there was never any money around,” Watkins said, and none of the managers or the former co-owners, Brian Culkin and Joe Maffey, knew why.

“Everything was in his name, like the bank accounts and the liquor license. He was basically controlling everything,” Watkins said. It took Watkins and the owners a few months to realize the extent to which the restaurant’s money was disappearing, and then “weird things came up.” At one point, Watkins said, Kaufman hired his girlfriend to work 15 hours per week, but she received a 40 hour per week paycheck.

After having lost nearly $500,000, the restaurant had to close down. Nearly 30 people lost their jobs, including two chefs who were hoping to start their careers.

“It is really disappointing because you are building yourself, building your career, and suddenly you have to start over,” Watkins said.

Kaufman’s business failures did not begin in Brooklyn or Boston, but in his earlier days in Burlington, Vermont. [ed. note: actually, Kaufman started out in Boston, then fled to Vermont, then to Brooklyn] According to The Burlington Free Press, a popular Italian restaurant called Tuscan Kitchen had to close in 2007 due to ongoing financial problems.

Additionally, ShamelessRestaurants.com claimed that Adriana’s in Burlington had to close for similar reasons. Prior to venturing into the restaurant business, Kaufman served as the senior account manager for Propeller Media Works LLC, a Burlington web design, marketing and application development firm, and as a client relations team manager for PriceWaterhouseCoopers.  As reported last year on BHB, he also served as the Chief Financial Officer for a light manufacturing firm. The company discovered suspicious corporate credit card charges of approximately $1200, allegedly made by Kaufman.

Despite Kaufman’s financial history, Executive Director of the Brooklyn Heights Association, Judy Stanton, said he deserves credit for the contributions he made to the community.

“He went out of his way to be civic-minded and generous. He was more than willing to promote his business, but he wanted to serve the community,” Stanton said. Stanton referred to Kaufman’s former ice cream shop, the Blue Pig, donating cookies and ice cream to a community festival, and cakes to a bake sale.

“But this only added to the shock that people felt when they heard about the (fraud) allegations,” she said.

Even Jerome Watkins called him “passionate,” and said he “had a really strong vision about what he was doing.”

“But I’m not surprised to hear that he’s doing the same thing in Brooklyn. It’s unfortunate, but I wish him the best,” Watkins said.

More to the point, the new owners have already stated that the manager of the disgraced Wine Bar at 50 Henry and its sister establishments, Dan Kaufman, will not be involved.   Moreover, entity information about the  LLC operating the new wine bar makes no mention of “Corner of Cranberry” kingpin Alan Young.

As for whether Young is still holding the lease to the storefront, BHB is awaiting a response from the landlord at 50 Henry Street for clarification.  However co-owner Mark Lahm tells the Brooklyn Eagle, “We didn’t buy the bar from Young, but we leased the space from the building’s landlord.”

Brooklyn Paper: 90 to Watch…: 2. Dan Kaufman: The co-owner of the Busy Chef restaurants, who was arrested last year on charges of swindling customers out of thousands by stealing their credit card numbers. But the fun is only beginning: This year, Kaufman’s trial will start — and his lawyer is saying that Kaufman is just a “patsy” for shadowy Brooklyn Heights restaurant partner Alan Young, whose eateries fold like origami. This is going to be the trial of the century!

Mark Lahm of Henry's End. Photo by gastrodamus via Flickr

BHB has confirmation that the space at 50 Henry Street will be a joint venture from the owners of Henry’s End (44 Henry Street) and Cranberry’s (48 Henry Street). The space will continue as a wine bar, and will also serve breakfast and lunch according to Mark Lahm at Henry’s End. The new place will be open for breakfast and lunch in late February 2009, but the wine bar won’t be open until the spring. Small plates (cheese, paté, creative salads) will be served at the wine bar for dinner. The overall idea of the new venture will be “casual, good food.”

Oh, and Alan Young, former owner of the “Busted Chef” businesses, will be totally uninvolved.

The bright yellow exterior of the storefront at 50 Henry Street is now a more subdued shade of cranberry. According to workers at site formerly known at the Wine Bar at 50 Henry Street, an “American restaurant” will be opening there soon.

The wine bar and its sister stores Busy Chef, Blue Pig and Oven were shut down earlier this year when manager Dan Kaufman was accused of credit card fraud and identity theft.  Kaufman’s latest court appearance was scheduled for last Friday (12/26).  No further information is available at this time.

As BHB Community member “Yo” pointed out yesterday, there’s something going on at the site formerly known as Busy Chef at 60 Henry Street.   There also seems to be activity at the old Wine Bar space at 50 Henry Street.  BHB regular nabeguy commented yesterday, “I also saw the activity in the Wine Bar space. I presumed that the broker-type was Alan Young spinning his web, but may be wrong. When I asked the guy who’s been watching the places lately if something was moving in, the question was met with a blank stare.”

Busy Chef, the Wine Bar at 50 Henry and Oven were all shut down over the summer after one of its employees Dan Kaufman was arrested and charged with several counts including identity theft related to credit card fraud. The case is currently before a Brooklyn Grand Jury.

“CS” sends in this photo, commenting:

I was just walking past Busy Chef  on Court Street and there were dozens of flies on the inside of the windows.  Seems like they might have closed up in a rush.  Wouldn’t be surprised if they left food behind and there were thousands of flies in there…

The Court Street location, as well as the Henry Street store and its siblings Oven, Blue Pig and the Wine Bar at 50 Henry were all closed abruptly in July after the arrest of manager Dan Kaufman on allegations of credit card fraud and identity theft.

Alex S.

Work Experience

Oven, 60c Henry St. Brooklyn, December 2007-present.� Waiter, busboy, deliveries, Bartender and Barista.

Busy Chef, 60 Henry St. Brooklyn, June 2007-present, counter service, barista, cleaning, deliveries.

The Irish Repertory Theatre, Jan 2007-August2007: filed, stuffed envelopes, did fundraising, ran errands, and answered phones.

Street Theatre Tour, Theater for the New City, June� Sept. 05/06/07/08: Toured New York as performer/crew in Social Insecurity Tap Dance Buckle My Shoe�, and The Turning Point

Intern at Theater for the New City, Jan. 2007: answered phones, stuffed envelopes, ran errands and fundraising events.

Underground Caf, Adelphi University, March� June 2005: Barista.

Education

Currently a Senior at Adelphi University, Garden City, NY
Diploma, Edward R. Murrow H. S. 2005

If you’re a former employee of the Busy Chef businesses and you’re looking for a job, let BHB know and we’ll try to help you find one. Email your resume to webmaster AT brooklynheightsblog.com

Brooklyn Paper: Busted Chef…: For the record, Brill said his client is innocent of the identity theft and credit card fraud charges, claiming instead that Kaufman was a scapegoat of larger crimes by Young and others.

The paper also steps up to the plate today and sheds light on Nasser “Nando” Ghorchian’s dealings with Alan Young and the Busy Chef related businesses.

If you worked at any of the establishments recently closed and if you’re looking for a job,  send your resume and an optional photo to webmaster AT brooklynheightsblog.com.   Resumes should include an email address you’re comfortable sharing on the web.  We will not publish home phone numbers or addresses. In the coming week, we will post the resumes received and hope that someone out there in blogland can help you get back to work.

Homer Fink

Publisher

Brooklyn Heights Blog

New York Times: Charges and Closed Shops Rattle..: Yet while the new establishments drew sizable crowds and seemed to have a promising future, there were disturbing rumblings about Mr. Kaufman. More than a year ago, commenters on the Brooklyn Heights Blog accused him of financial sleight of hand and outright fraud. Some employees said their paychecks began bouncing about three months ago.

Some also said that Alan Young, an owner of the businesses, told them within the last few weeks that Mr. Kaufman no longer worked for him and should not be allowed on the premises.

“I thought Dan was an owner — we all did, because he passed himself off as one,” said Farrah Powell, a manager at the Wine Bar. “I never met the real owners until all of this came to light. I think that was by Dan’s design, so we’d have no one higher up to talk to about his behavior.”

…Julia Horowitz, who owns the Blue Pig in Croton-on-Hudson, N.Y., and was a partner in the Henry Street shop, said Mr. Kaufman was a “con man who bamboozled the whole community” even as he was given full autonomy to run the shops. But Mr. Brill said that Mr. Kaufman was a victim of corrupt business practices by others and described him as “almost a patsy.”

A BHB newshound sent in this photo taken on Henry Street.  An ad for ready.gov on a phone booth across from the ill fated Busy Chef  and associated restaurants reads: “At least one in four businesses never open after a disaster.”

The Wine Bar at 50 Henry was clearly the most popular of the BCE establishments.  Its casual atmosphere and friendly staff were a big draw.   Led by restaurant vet Amanda Green, the bar opened in January and quickly won a following.  It was still growing when Green passed away in June.

Now in the shadow of alleged criminal activity,  the one light of hope in the ongoing saga of the Corner of Cranberry has been turned off.  Today, you can add the names of the BCE employees who are jobless to the list of reported victims of the alleged crimes of the Busted Chef.

What’s next for the Corner of Cranberry?