Closed Pittsburgh Mills restaurant faces suit for unpaid rent
The owner of the former Chef Steff's Ristorante in the Pittsburgh Mills mall is facing more legal action connected to the sudden closing of the eatery in 2007.
Patrick Amore of Southern Breeze Drive, Orlando, Fla., owned the restaurant that was operated by Stefano "Chef Steff" Tedeschi.
In a recent filing in Allegheny County Court, Pittsburgh Mills Limited Partnership, owner of the Pittsburgh Mills, is asking for $2.1 million from Amore and his company, Big Chef LLC, for unpaid rent and other expenses.
Pittsburgh Mills LP attorney David E. White said he is asking the court to show why the money shouldn't be awarded to the partnership.
But Amore said the filing is premature because he still is in litigation with the mall over the closure.
Last year, Big Chef LLC and Amore sued the mall partnership for $775,000, and that lawsuit is still active.
In that lawsuit, Amore claims Pittsburgh Mills LP "illegally terminated its lease" for the restaurant and is accruing and charging Big Chef and Amore "accelerated rent."
He said the mall partnership is charging "accelerated rent" even though the mall allowed another restaurant to open in the space once occupied by Tedeschi's restaurant.
White said he is asking for that lawsuit to be dismissed because Amore didn't get a new attorney by a court-mandated deadline.
In a Sept. 25 letter to the court, Amore said he can act "pro se," that is on his own legal behalf, if needed and that he expects to have a new attorney "within 45-60 days."
Amore said the court hasn't ruled on the $2.1 million lawsuit or the $775,000 lawsuit and said the mall partnership "decided to go cowboy with the legal system" while the lawsuits are still in civil court.
"I don't intent to capitulate," Amore said in a phone call.
The mall's request for payment appears to be one of many made since the restaurant closed. Also apparently unresolved, according to Allegheny County Court records, are:
• A June 12, 2008, Internal Revenue Service tax lien for $43,348 against Big Chef.
• The state Department of Revenue's $3,419.42 tax lien against the company for unpaid employer withholding tax. Department spokeswoman Janel Miller said Wednesday the lien hasn't been satisfied.
• The state Department of Labor and Industry is seeking $12,134.57 for unpaid employee withholding tax. It is also seeking $4,075.22 in two 2008 filings for unpaid unemployment compensation tax.
"There is no public information available about that company," spokesman Christopher Manlove said when asked if the lien has been satisfied.
• K&I Sheet Metal is asking the court to award it $112, 559.37 for alleged unpaid bills.
• Sysco Foods Services of Pittsburgh Inc. was granted a judgment to have Amore and Tedeschi pay it $6,993.81 plus interest for services rendered, but court records show that hasn't been paid.
Tedeschi did not return calls for comment.
