Lawyer for NYC’s accused dine-and-dash diva asks for psych exam — as manager at latest targeted eatery gets order of protection
A Brooklyn chef who’s been accused of repeatedly dining and dashing—now called a “serial dine‑and‑dash diva” by the press—has asked the court for a psychiatric evaluation while the manager of the last restaurant she allegedly ripped off receives a protection order.
During her latest arraignment she told the judge, “My client seems to be confused about what’s going on. I had a very difficult time speaking to her, and I am concerned about her well‑being.” Her attorney, McCarthy Hawkins, cited worries that the 34‑year‑old designer‑obsessed influencer is in distress.
Pei Chung has been brought in by police at least ten times since the end of last month for supposedly eating and then refusing to pay. Friday marked her eighth arrest, this time for taking $149 worth of food at the Williamsburg hotspot Mole Bar and Grill and not covering the bill, prosecutors said.
Chung’s lawyer asked Judge Jung Park to place her on supervised release so that she could see a doctor of her own choosing. “I don’t think she wants to do supervised release,” the judge noted, after Chung simply said “No” when questioned—something the judge did not understand.
The Brooklyn Assistant District Attorney, Jordan Rossman, demanded that Chung be held on either a $10,000 cash bail or a $20,000 bond for “eating hundreds of dollars of food in restaurants, and then refusing to pay.” Rossman pointed out that Chung had been released on supervised release after each prior offense and was still repeating the same behavior, which is why prosecutors are pushing for a bail requirement in what is typically a no‑bail theft‑of‑services case.
The judge ultimately barred the restaurant manager from contact and set Chung’s bail at $4,500 cash. Since then, the complainant has been locked up in the Rose M. Singer Center at Rikers Island.
Chung’s arrests began in late October, with several eateries—including Francie, Lavender Lake, Motorino, and Peter Luger—claiming that she posed as an influencer to bag free meals before dashing. The Peter Luger manager alleged that she offered sex for a free meal, while other restaurants said she only asked to be featured on her food blog.
On Instagram, Chung flaunts Prada shoes, Louis Vuitton bags and Hermès belts, often posting photos of pricey dishes and running a modest blog where she reviews her meals. Her next court appearance is scheduled for Wednesday.
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