Estate of Bay Area celebrity chef Michael Chiarello accuses ex-executive of helping seize control of his restaurant empire

The legal battle over late celebrity chef Michael Chiarello’s culinary empire is escalating, with the estate now accusing a former executive of helping orchestrate a “hostile takeover” of his business holdings.

In a court filing Friday, the estate alleged that David O’Malley — former chief operating officer of Chiarello’s management company, Gruppo Chiarello Inc. — aided Chiarello’s longtime business partners by sharing confidential records, withholding documents from the estate and destroying files. He’s also accused of forging Chiarello’s signature on a backdated corporate document to help the group seize ownership of Coqueta, Chiarello’s San Francisco restaurant.

The accusations expand on a July complaint that named three other defendants — Richard “Rich” Frank, John Hansen and Peter Crowley, a former advisor and co-manager of Chiarello’s restaurants — alleging they conspired to take control of his restaurants, management company and intellectual property after his death in October 2023.

“The evidence now in our possession is the tip of the iceberg, and clearly  shows a ruthless, coordinated, and meticulously planned scheme,” said Eileen Gordon, Chiarello’s wife and trustee of the estate, in a statement.

Frank, a former Disney president and founder of Frank Family Vineyards in Calistoga, rejected the claims in an email to The Press Democrat, calling the lawsuit an attempt by Gordon to re-litigate an arbitration process that already resolved ownership disputes.

That arbitration, initiated in May 2024 by Frank, Hansen and Crowley, awarded them control of Chiarello’s trademarks and flagship Yountville restaurant, Bottega Napa Valley. The group announced in June they had acquired full ownership of Bottega.

“Gordon is unwilling to accept the final result of the arbitration and she is now making up new false and defamatory claims,” Frank said in the statement.

The estate is seeking monetary damages and a declaration affirming that Chiarello’s management entities, including Gruppo Chiarello Inc. and Solo IO LLC, hold valid contracts with his restaurants and intellectual property.