Florida restaurant stripped of Michelin star after owner-chef’s arrest on attempted murder charges
A Florida restaurant has been stripped of its Michelin star after its owner-chef was jailed on domestic violence charges that have since been upgraded to attempted second-degree murder.
Konro, once hailed as Palm Beach County’s first Michelin-starred restaurant, has been removed from the prestigious guide.
The demotion happened after Jacob Bickelhaupt, 41, was arrested in June on domestic violence charges stemming from a June 2 attack on a woman that police say lasted roughly two hours. He has pleaded not guilty.
Michelin spokesperson Carly Grieff told the South Florida Sun Sentinel that the star was pulled because the restaurant “has closed.”
But in June, after the chef’s arrest, Michelin told the Sun Sentinel that while it “firmly condemns all acts of violence, aggression and harassment,” it was taking no immediate action, arguing that “MICHELIN Stars are annual distinctions and therefore our Inspectors revisit the restaurants annually.”
Konro, a 10-seat chef’s counter named for the Japanese charcoal grill used in many of its courses, seems to have closed following Bickelhaupt’s arrest – just two months after winning Palm Beach County’s first Michelin star. Dishes included Japanese A5 Wagyu, edible floral microgreens, and foie gras in chicken-skin cones with cloudberry jam, the Tampa Bay Times reported.
The alleged assault happened when the victim, a woman who worked with Bickelhaupt, allegedly tried to coax him from the couch back to bed, according to a probable cause affidavit. Police say he punched and kicked her repeatedly, even as she crawled away.
She eventually escaped, calling a rideshare to Palm Beach International Airport to return to her home in Denver. But she suffered a seizure and was rushed to St. Mary’s Medical Center, where doctors told her family she would likely have died if she had boarded the flight.
The woman first claimed she’d been in a car accident, but medical staff told deputies her injuries, which included two black eyes, extensive bruising, and a subdural hematoma requiring emergency surgery, were inconsistent.
In a sworn statement, she named Bickelhaupt as her attacker. Deputies later found blood in multiple rooms of his home.
Bickelhaupt has faced similar allegations before.
In 2017, police charged him with striking his then-wife, Alexa Welsh, in the head with a bottle, forcing his acclaimed Chicago restaurant 42 Grams to close the next day.
Bickelhaupt admitted: “I hurt her bad and I freaked out … I asked [an employee] to call 911 and left in a panic back to my apartment. I had a bunch of beer and whiskey at home and was going to kill myself.”
He later pleaded guilty to simple battery.
His ex-wife Welsh told the Sun Sentinel she was unsurprised by the latest case.
“Violence is a cycle. How does the saying go? ‘Those who do not learn history …’ I sent [the victim] a message of support. I hope she’s able to make a full recovery.”
The victim’s current condition is unknown.
Bickelhaupt remains in Palm Beach County jail and faces charges of attempted second-degree murder and false imprisonment.
His next hearing is scheduled for September 8.
