By Gabriela Resto-Montero
DNAinfo Reporter/Producer
WEST VILLAGE — Celebrity chef Alex Stupak's liquor license application for his planned West 4th Street Mexican restaurant, Empellon, was approved by a Community Board 2 committee on Tuesday — again.
Stupak, 29, the former pastry chef at Wylie Dufresne’s WD-50, along with wife and business partner, Lauren Resler, who is also a chef, already received a resolution approving their application from the board's liquor license committee last month only to have the full board deadlock with a 20 to 20 vote.
That sent the resolution back to the committee for more community input.
Making their third appearance before the committee on Tuesday, Stupak and Resler agreed to new stipulations that they close the restaurant at 230 W. 4th St. at 2 a.m., soundproof the space, monitor traffic and provide for proper garbage disposal.
Initially, the couple had requested staying open until 4 a.m. in order to provide sit-down service for their colleagues in the restaurant industry who would be just getting off work.
But neighbors of the space, which recently housed Chow Bar restaurant, weren't buying it.
"Why do we have to cater to the restaurant industry?" Ray Mortenson, who lives nearby, asked at the meeting. "Are we going to make a restaurant for the cab industry or a restaurant for the financial industry?"
Stupak, who was named one of America's top 10 pastry chefs in 2008 and won the "Iron Chef" television challenge, received support from residents eager to see the now-empty space occupied by a top restaurant.
"This isn't going to be a celebrity restaurant with $100 price points," said Brad Newman, a resident who spoke in favor of Empellon. "This is going to be a neighborhood restaurant."
Ultimately the committee voted 5 to 1 in favor of the license — a much larger margin than last month's 4 to 3 vote.
The full board is scheduled to hold a final vote on Stupak's application on Dec. 16.
Stupak and Resler hope to open the restaurant in March or April.
