CHELSEA — A celebrity chef who once bested Bobby Flay on the Food Network's "Iron Chef America" was punched in the face outside of a Chelsea strip club earlier this week, police said.
Viet Pham, a finalist on "Food Network Star" and winner of "Iron Chef America," was standing outside Scores strip club at 536 W. 28th St. at 3 a.m. Monday when he was punched by another man, according to the NYPD.
The blow knocked Pham's signature black glasses to the ground, breaking them, police said.
Pham, who lives in Salt Lake City where he owns Forage Restaurant, was in town for fellow chef Josh Skenes' bachelor party, according to his Twitter feed.
His alleged attacker fled in a vehicle heading east on West 28th Street. Pham, 35, had swelling to his right cheek and a cut to his hand, according to police.
He declined to comment about the incident.
Police are seeking a 35-year-old man who is about 5-foot-9 and 200 pounds, with brown crew-cut hair. He was last seen wearing a black jacket.
Other notable crimes in this week's NYPD blotter for the 10th Precinct include:
► Police arrested a man for drug possession after they found him urinating on the sidewalk, the NYPD said. According to police, Eric Shostak, 19, was relieving himself outside of 515 W. 26th St. when an officer approached him. Shostak was searched and an officer found that he had MDMA, police said.
Shostak could not immediately be reached for comment.
► A man's $4,875 Loro Piana jacket was stolen from the back of his chair at the Monarch Room on West 15th Street late last Saturday night, police said. According to police, the man, 31, put his pricey jacket on the back of his chair and got up for several minutes. It was missing when he returned.
Along with the jacket, a set of Loro Piana Niki gloves — worth $1,850 — were also stolen, police said.
Staff at the restaurant did not respond to a request for comment.
► An employee at the Yotel "capsule hotel" at 570 10th Ave. was beaten at 4 p.m. March 14, police said. The employee was asking a drunk guest to leave the hotel when another person swore at him and threw him to the ground, then repeatedly kicked and hit him, police said.
The worker, 41, suffered marks next to his right eye and a scratch on his head, police said.
Police are looking for someone who is 5-foot-8, 165 pounds, with straight black hair. The person was last seen wearing black work boots, blue jeans and a brown jacket.
Staff at the hotel said the employee was recovering, but otherwise declined to comment.
