WEST PALM BEACH, FL—Move over, Gordon Ramsay, because Florida’s own Michelin-starred chef Jacob Bickelhaupt just cooked up a special dish: felony charges with a side of audacity.
The 41-year-old co-founder of Konro, a fancy West Palm Beach eatery, was already in hot water after allegedly punching and kicking a woman for two hours, leaving her with a brain bleed that required emergency surgery. But like any chef who can’t follow a simple recipe, Bickelhaupt decided to add extra ingredients to his legal woes—witness tampering.
From Fine Dining to Jail Time
After his arrest, Bickelhaupt was slapped with a $90,000 bond and a strict no-contact order. But apparently, rules are just suggestions to this guy.
From behind bars, he left not one, but two voicemails on the victim’s phone (which also happens to be their shared business line—because nothing says “professional” like begging for bail help after beating someone).
In the first message, Bickelhaupt dropped the chef’s kiss of desperation:
“Hey, it’s Jacob. If you haven’t given up on me, call my public defender. I love you so much. Also, can you help me pay bail? I have a way to cover some of it—just need $1,500 upfront. K, thanks, bye!”
Twenty minutes later, he doubled down with a sequel nobody asked for:
“Hey, me again. I know you’re in really bad shape, but here’s the deal—if you don’t help me, I’ll be in jail for a year. Also, I have no shoes. Call me back, love you!”
A History of Spicy Behavior
This isn’t Bickelhaupt’s first rodeo in the Domestic Violence Kitchen. Back in 2017, he pleaded guilty to attacking his ex-wife in Chicago, which led to the collapse of his two-Michelin-star restaurant, 42 Grams.
But like a bad Yelp review, he bounced back, moving to Florida and opening Konro, which somehow earned a Michelin star in April. (Note to Michelin inspectors: Maybe check the chef’s criminal record next time?)
The Takeaway
Bickelhaupt is now facing additional felony charges, including witness tampering and violating a domestic violence injunction. Meanwhile, the victim is recovering, and the rest of us are left wondering:
How does a guy who can’t follow a no-contact order manage to earn a Michelin star?
Stay tuned, Florida. This story is still baking in the legal oven.