Chef Killed Over Meal In Germany

A Japanese chef killed over a meal in Germany may have died of a brain hemorrhage, and police are working to put together an account of events that led to the violent and ultimately fatal beating of 57-year-old Miki Nozawa.

Initial reports from German tabloid Bild-Zeitung indicate the chef killed over a meal was a well-regarded specialist in Japanese-Italian fusion food.

Nozawa died Monday despite doctors’ efforts to save his life after the attack, and a trouble picture of the chef’s last hours began to emerge.

According to German police, the attack occurred on the German island of Sylt. Nozawa had served two men, aged 36 and 50, described as “laborers” in press accounts.

The chef killed over the meal reportedly served the two men, who haven’t been identified in media reports, a dish of beef and fried noodles — and the pair didn’t care for their meals.

What happened next was unpleasant but not entirely uncommon in restaurant settings. The two dissatisfied diners left the restaurant without paying their bills, but also without any sort of violence.

However, the chef killed over a meal had the unfortunate luck to run into the dine-and-dash duo later the same evening at a local hotspot, and Christian Postreports:

“That appeared to be the end of the incident, however, later that night the Japanese chef met the pair again at a local table dancing bar, and their argument continued and escalated significantly … A fight is said to have ensued and the chef was said to have taken a blow to the head. He was rushed to the hospital and according to local reports he suffered brain injuries and internal bleeding.”

A cause of death for the chef killed over a meal has not been established definitively, and the two men believed to have been involved were taken into custody but later released for lack of evidence. Both are reportedly answering questions on a voluntary basis.