Former Chef in Mount Olive NJ Accused of Spitting in Customer’s Food, Indicted on Charges of Tampering with Food

Mount Olive Chef Accused of Spitting in FoodA former chef in Mount Olive New Jersey has been indicted on charges of spitting in a customer’s food.

The 32-year-old defendant, who lives in Independence Township, worked as a chef at Kennedy’s Pub in Mount Olive, New Jersey.

According to authorities, he spat on a customer’s bread in October 2014. A co-worker said that he saw the defendant spitting on the bread accompanying a pasta dish. The dish had been sent back by a 51-year-old female customer at the restaurant.

The defendant was fired from his chef job a short time after the allegations arose.

The defendant first appeared in Morris County Superior Court in Morristown NJ last December. At that time, prosecutors offered him a plea deal which would have required him to serve 3 years in New Jersey State Prison.

Prosecutors would not make a lower offer to the defendant because he has a criminal history, which includes a conviction for robbery. As a result of the defendant’s prior criminal record, there is a presumption of incarceration for a conviction this time.

The defendant’s attorney rejected the plea offer. As a result, the charges of tampering with food were sent to a Morris County grand jury. The defendant was not charged under the catch-all provision for disorderly conduct.

Now the defendant has been indicted by the grand jury.

The crime is classified as a third degree criminal offense. This means that the defendant could potentially be sentenced to as many as 5 years in NJ State Prison if he is convicted.

For further information about this case, read the DailyRecord.com article entitled “Ex-Mount Olive Chef Is Indicted for Spitting on Food.”