Jeffrey Chodorow started building his empire in the hospitality industry, right after exiting the real estate industry in the late 80s. And among his latter ventures, Jeffrey put a lot of money into Sarma Melngailis’ vegan restaurant Pure Food and Wine — that was featured on Netflix’s Bad Vegan: Fame. Fraud. Fugitives.
Keep reading this Jeffrey Chodorow Bio to learn more about him.
Jeffrey Chodorow On Netflix’s Bad Vegan
Netflix’s true-crime docuseries, Bad Vegan: Fame. Fraud. Fugitives premiered on March 16, 2022, and it saw Sarma Melngailis’ rise to notoriety alongside her journey with Pure Food and Wine. But that wasn’t all. The show also looked into the lives of people who were vital for its establishment, and among them, Jeffrey Chodorow stood on the top as its investor.
According to Jeffrey, Pure Food and Wine was run by Sarma Melngailis and chef Matthew Kenney when he first invested his money. But Matthew later dropped out of the partnership, leaving the restaurant to be solely run by Sarma. And this might have just been where things went wrong.
The vegan restaurant that initially ran at its best providing a fine-dining vegan experience (that was unheard of anywhere), eventually started to have internal problems. In 2014, a few employees even walked out because Sarma didn’t pay them their wages and she was nowhere to be found.
However, that situation was resolved quickly and the restaurant quickly got back on its track.
But just when Jeffrey felt that his investment would pay off, the scenario repeated in Jan 2015. Only this time leading the restaurant to be shut down.
Reportedly, Jeffrey was owed more than $1 million at the time.
So, why did Sarma disappear, owning millions to her investors? Well, she blamed it all on her ex-husband Anthony Strangis. She alleged that she lent him vast amounts of money to him during their relationship that he never paid back.
Also, she added that he convinced her that she’d be “empowered in ways (she) couldn’t imagine.” He made her dream of all “the world-changing things” that she’d been quietly dreaming about.
Sadly, Sarma never got to realize that dream.
Where Is Jeffrey Chodorow Today?
Jeffrey Chodorow might have been brimming with success in the 90s and 2000s, but its a different today. As of 2022, his company China Grill Management’s website was down, and also most of his famous restaurants appeared to have shut down.
However, Jeffrey was spotted leasing space in the exclusive Bal Harbour Shops in Miami, Florida, to set up a restaurant, in 2021. So, he might have been up to something. When asked about what the plan was, the restauranter remained tight-lipped mentioning that it would be one of his classics.
Jeffrey Chodorow Net Worth
Jeffrey Chodorow flaunted a net worth of at least 13 million in 2022.
This restauranter first started his career as a lawyer and realtor, right after getting his economics degree and a law degree in 1975. Within a decade, having made his first million, Jeffrey then opened China Grill in 1987, a restaurant that grossed more than $11 million by 2007.
Furthermore, in 1988, Jeffrey also went on to become the chairman and CEO of BIA-COR Holdings Inc., an investor group that purchased a controlling interest in Braniff Inc. Unfortunately, Jeffrey got caught up in a controversy with the company, leading him to spent four-month in prison in 1994 for obstruction of justice.
Fast forward to 2003, Jeffrey then became a part of a reality show called The Restaurant starring opposite celebrity chef Rocco DiSpirito. The show had the pair often butting heads, which even led to Rocco being barred from the restaurant by a judge.
Since then, Jeffrey has appeared in other shows like Opening Soon (2005), Drinks with LX (2007), Iron Chef America: The Series (2010), and not to mention Bad Vegan: Fame. Fraud. Fugitives. (2022).
Overall, Jeffrey owned over 24 restaurants across multiple cities.
Jeffrey Chodorow Wife
Jeffrey Chodorow’s wife is Linda Chodorow, the president of China Grill Management. Reportedly, she joined her husband’s company back in 1997 as its director.
Besides China Grill Management, Linda has also been associated with 13 other companies in her lifetime.
The restauranteur and his wife share two kids — Zach and Max, who were also into the food and restaurant business.
Talking about them, Max organized pop-up dinners and parties in New York and was passionate about pizza-making, while Zach (a business graduate) sold hot dogs in New York. Also, Zach was working as the director of China Grill Management ever since 2008.
Aside from walking in his father’s footsteps, Zach also co-founded his own company called RedFarm in 2009.
As of 2022, Zach was married to the daughter of Annette I. and David Marom, Brittany Paulina Marom (an interior designer).
How Old Is Jeffrey Chodorow?
Jeffrey Chodorow was born on March 2, 1950. That made him 72 years of age in 2022.
His wife, Linda was 67 then.
Jeffrey Chodorow Family
Jeffrey Chodorow was the only child born to his parents. Sadly, his father died while Jeffrey was just an infant, and his mother moved them to Miami, Florida to live with her sister.
His mother worked as a manicurist at the time. So, they didn’t have enough money. He recalled that she even took him on dates with her as she couldn’t afford a babysitter.
But that was a blessing in disguise for little Jeffrey. He got to see the nightclubs and restaurants at a young age, which would help him later in his career-making.
Coming from a financially struggling family, Jeffrey has done quite a job earning that stunning net worth.
Related FAQs
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How Tall Is Jeffrey Chodorow?
Jeffrey stands tall at a height of 5 feet 11 inches (180 cm).
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Where Was Jeffrey Chodorow Born?
He was born in New York City, New York, USA.
However, he calls Philadelphia, Pennsylvania to be his hometown.
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Is Jeffrey Chodorow On Instagram?
No, Jeffrey wasn’t on IG.
However, find him on Facebook @jefferey.chodorow.
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