By Gabriela Resto-Montero
DNAinfo Reporter/Producer
GREENWICH VILLAGE — The third time was the charm for Chefs Alex Stupak and Lauren Resler, whose liquor license application for new restaurant Empellon was approved by Community Board 2 Thursday night.
The board had first instructed the husband and wife team to get more community support in October then sent their application back to committee in November after a 20-20 deadlock vote.
Board members were reluctant to approve the application after neighbors of the proposed restaurant voiced concern that another liquor license would disturb the peace.
"For whatever my word is worth and given my background I can tell you I don't know how to run a bar and club and I have no interest in running a bar and club," Stupak told the board before the final vote.
Over the last week, Stupak and Resler's colleagues, along with residents of the West Village, rallied behind the restaurant with an online petition.
Stupak previously served as head pastry chef of WD-50 and Resler is the former sous-pastry chef of Mario Batali's West Village restaurant, Babbo's.
As part of the approval, the couple agreed to close the 230 West 4th Street restaurant at 2 a.m., soundproof the building and monitor traffic and crowds to reduce any disturbances to neighbors.
Empellon is slated to open in March, Stupak said.
