Pei Chung, a 34-year-old food social media star known as the “dine-and-dash diva,” was arrested in Brooklyn on Friday. She allegedly failed to pay a bill at the restaurant Mole. This transgression illuminates the tip of a more alarming iceberg that has emerged as New York City’s new high-end restaurateurs face a culinary caste struggle. She’s alleged to have dined and dashed at least six different establishments, most notably, the Michelin-starred brasserie, Francie.
Chung’s dining habits have turned heads all over the city. She often books the most lavish meals. Typically, she shows up with her own lighting setup and camera, documenting her culinary adventures along the way for her Insta-fam, who know her as “99 lb No plastic surgery.” Her last bill at Mole was $149, which she left unpaid upon leaving.
When she was owner of Mole, Chung’s radical ways drew comment from folks in the industry. “Only in New York City could a guy like this get made into a folk hero,” he said. This captures the dismay and sense of foreboding that seems to be settling on restaurant owners about her potential behavior.
Chung’s relationship with high-end restaurants has been rocky. At Francie, she earned the reputation of a regular patron who supposedly dined and dashed twice. The third time she tried to eat there, the owner knew who she was on sight. In doing so, he signaled that the visits of the high-profile and connected Ms.
Chung takes us along as she goes on thrilling restaurant expeditions. At the same time, she fights against being evicted from her Williamsburg apartment that costs a whopping $3,350 monthly. Her landlord, Eliot Spitzer, former governor of New York. In 2008, Governor Blagojevich resigned in the midst of a scandal, and like him, now-retired Gov.
Following her arrest, Pei Chung was charged with theft of services. She then ended up processed to Rikers Island, with bail set at $4,500. This bail is a product of the current case. It adds in warrants for past dine-and-dash crimes. She missed court dates. Moreover, she’s been banned from at least seven different restaurants for her intimidating behavior.
A manager at Peter Luger expressed relief over the situation being addressed, stating, “I’m glad there’s some sort of recognition being brought to the matter. She was getting away with it – way too often. And it’s just not right.”
Chung’s case has sparked vital conversations about accountability within the food influencer community. It has sparked debate on dining etiquette or the ethics of social media influencers’ dining practices. Federal authorities are actively investigating her actions. The impact may extend further than the courts to how the culinary world views her.