INS Raids Shut Puck Cafe, Fellow OC Mall Eatery

Armed with search warrants, immigration officials raided the posh environs of South Coast Plaza in Costa Mesa on Tuesday, shutting down the Wolfgang Puck Cafe and BirraPorretti’s just before the lunchtime rush.

Ten employees were arrested at Wolfgang Puck’s and 12 at BirraPorretti’s, all on suspicion of being in the country illegally, Immigration and Naturalization Service officials said.

The trendy restaurants remained closed for dinner Tuesday but said they hoped to reopen today.

Richard K. Rogers, INS district director in Los Angeles, said the agency was tipped off to alleged serious immigration violations at the two eateries and that the raid was not part of an enforcement clampdown on upscale restaurants.

The agency has raided numerous Southern California fast-food outlets that have employed undocumented workers, said Rosemary Melville, the INS’ deputy regional director in Los Angeles. But she said she could not recall any similar enforcement actions against high-end restaurants.

A sign posted outside BirraPorretti’s on Tuesday afternoon said the restaurant was closed because of “severe equipment failure.” A woman answering the phone said managers were out Tuesday and that “we have no comment at this time.”

Frank Guidara, president of Wolfgang Puck Food Co., said the employees arrested at his restaurant were cooks and dishwashers.

Guidara said the INS had examined the cafe’s paperwork Aug. 4 and that he is unaware of any evidence that the restaurant had failed to adequately check the working credentials of its employees.

He said the agency told him that later checks showed that the Social Security numbers and documents provided by the employees were faked.

INS director Rogers declined to provide details about the cases except to say that the investigations were continuing and that the violations were serious enough that charges against the companies have not been ruled out.

“We only get warrants in cases where there are large or suspicious discrepancies” in employee records, he said, adding that more arrests at the restaurants are possible.

Those arrested Tuesday were offered a choice of voluntary return to their native countries or hearings before an immigration judge. The INS said about half have requested hearings.

Guidara said he was concerned that the INS gave no advance warning of the raid.

“Although they were very apologetic, it doesn’t help us in running our business,” he said. “It would have been nice if they could have notified us.”

Guidara said the typical crew in the back of a Wolfgang Puck Cafe is about 12 or 13 workers, although he didn’t know exactly how many were working at the Costa Mesa mall when it was raided.

The cafe, one of the most successful of the 11 in operation--the company opens two more next week in Orlando, Fla., and Seattle--is located beside the Macy’s at South Coast Plaza.

The chain planned to bring in extra help from the Wolfgang Puck Cafes in Irvine and Newport Beach to resume operations today.

It also planned to avail itself of an INS service: sessions for businesses on screening prospective employees.

“We’re going to do the course--absolutely,” Guidara said. “And we’re going to go back to all the restaurants and go over the [current] employees again.”

Wolfgang Puck Food also operates Wolfgang Puck Express mini-cafes, Asian-themed restaurants called ObaChine, and a frozen food business.

It is part-owned by well-known chef Wolfgang Puck and his wife, Barbara Lazaroff, but is separate from their signature restaurants Spago, Chinois on Main and Granita in Los Angeles County.

Puck was traveling and couldn’t be reached, Guidara said. “Barbara was shocked,” he said. “She said, ‘I can’t believe it.’ ”