Infamous 'Kitchen Nightmares' Restaurant Owner Facing Deportation
A Scottsdale, Arizona, restaurateur whose very public meltdown in the aftermath of a now-infamous appearance on Gordon Ramsay's Kitchen Nightmares nearly ran him out of business can now add "possible deportation" to his mounting list of troubles.
Samy Bouzaglo, co-owner of Amy's Baking Company Bakery Boutique & Bistro with his equally askew wife Amy, is apparently mired in ongoing "immigration court proceedings" that could result in his expulsion from the country.
Though his lawyer David Asser has refused to comment on the case, AZ Central reports that Bouzaglo, a Moroccan-born Israeli citizen, has apparently been less than forthcoming about divulging drug distribution and extortion charges that landed him in prison prior to his arrival in the US 13 years ago.
Bouzaglo is also banned from entering France and Germany.
The Arizona Republic reached out to Bouzaglo for comment, but he balked at the paper's request to talk specifics.
"The FBI knows all about me.... The IRS knows," he said. "I want people to know about me. But not today, not tomorrow. I have nothing to hide."
"We both made mistakes in the past. We have done our time," Amy chimed in.
That's certainly true for her: The 40-year-old, formerly known as Amanda Bossingham, pleaded guilty in 2003 to using another person's Social Security number to apply for a $15,000 bank loan.
She served a year-long prison sentence in 2008.
Meanwhile, Amy's Baking Company launched its week-long "Grand Reopening" yesterday to little fanfare.
That's because a planned press conference was canceled at the last minute after the Bouzaglos received a letter from Kitchen Nightmares' production company warning them not to badmouth the show or host Gordon Ramsay.
Rose+Moser+Allyn, the public relations firm hired by Samy and Amy to handle their relaunch, quit shortly thereafter.
The restaurant still welcomed customers with reservations, and at least one diner reported that "Samy was really nice" and "the food was good."
A Redditor who lives nearby, however, says he personally saw Samy "push and force" a girl out of the restaurant while yelling at her to leave.
"You could tell she was somewhat shocked at that happening," the Redditor wrote.
UPDATE: This was the scene outside Amy's during Day One of the Grand Reopening (via Consumerist). Security guards were reportedly hired to prevent diners without reservations from entering the restaurant.
