The head chef of the glitzy Cipriani Dolce restaurant in Grand Central Terminal who had been missing for several days has been found dead in a motel room located near LaGuardia Airport.
The body of Andrea Zamperoni, 33, of Queens, was discovered by New York City Police around 830 p.m., Wednesday, Aug. 21, at the Kamway Lodge & Tavern in Elmhurst after officers responded to a call of an unconscious man, said the NYPD.
Zamperoni was last seen alive at his apartment around noon on Monday, Aug. 19, the NYPD said.
Friends and co-workers reported him missing after he failed to show up for work on Monday at the chic restaurant where he has led the kitchen for the past year.
Police officials said Thursday, Aug. 22, an investigation into his death is ongoing and the cause of death is pending an autopsy by the medical examiner.
A room at the Kamway, listed as a hostel on Travelocity.com, can be booked for $89 a night.
Cipriani Dolce’s manager, Zacq Grainzvolt, had earlier said the disappearance of Zamperoni was very unusual and that he was popular with co-workers and that the entire staff was upset.
Zamperoni, who has worked at numerous Cipriani locations helping to open new venues, has been at Cipriani’s Grand Central Terminal location for a little more than a year. He has worked for the company for more than 10 years, including in London.
The NYPD is asking anyone with information to call the NYPD's Crime Stoppers Hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477) or for Spanish, 1-888-57-PISTA (74782). The public can also submit tips by logging onto the CrimeStoppers website at WWW.NYPDCRIMESTOPPERS.COM, on Twitter @NYPDTips. All calls are strictly confidential.
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