‘Top Chef’ Alum Closes His Brooklyn Soul Food Restaurants

Top Chef alum shutters two restaurants

Chris Scott, who competed on season 15 of Top Chef, shuttered his Windsor Terrace soul food restaurant Butterfunk Kitchen — another casualty of end-of-year closings. Scott opened the restaurant in April 2017 with his wife Eugenie Woo to positive reviews. The team also shuttered Butterfunk’s sibling restaurant next door, Sumner’s Luncheonette, which served breakfast, lunch, and weekend brunch. They’re set to open a new restaurant called Birdman in Bridgeport, Connecticut in early 2019.

More end-of-year closings

Only a few months after debuting in West Village, Mediterranean corner restaurant Fava Bistro at 74 Seventh Ave. has permanently closed. After announcing several different closing dates, East Village shots bar the Continental really is gone for good after one last New Year’s Eve party. The restaurant Sauce has closed following a fire in its kitchen. And Chelsea’s Black Square Pizza at 44 Ninth Ave. was ordered closed by the DOH.

Update, 12:02 p.m.: Black Square Pizza has reopened to the public.

Openings and coming attractions

Small omakase and hand roll bar Sushi by M opened at 75 East Fourth St. in East Village. On Thursday, the popular Smorgasburg vendor Big Mozz will start slinging its mozzarella sticks at a more permanent stall in Chelsea Market. A new Theater District boutique hotel, Merrion Row Hotel and Public House, has an Irish pub with seafood chowder, fish and chips, and other classic pub fare.

Someone has been stealing plumbing units from fast food chains across Queens

A man has been accused of stealing plumbing fixtures from eight fast food restaurants in Queens. Richard Mirabile allegedly brought tools into the bathrooms of places like an Astoria Burger King and a Ridgewood Wendy’s and removed automatic flushing mechanisms that are worth around $250 each. He was caught by the Burger King employee on December 28 and has been brought to trial by District Attorney Richard Brown.

Racines lands a new executive chef

Tribeca wine destination Racines NY finally has a permanent chef. Revered chef Paul Liebrandt had been doing a residency there after its last chef left following sexual misconduct allegations that occurred at his previous employer North End Grill, and now, Diego Moya will be at the helm. Moya opened short-lived LES restaurant Hemlock, but before that, he spent time at tapas restaurant Casa Mono, Kin Shop, and Parisian restaurant L’Arpège.