Sarma Melngailis is an intriguing personality in the world of food and business. She’s a former chef and owns Pure Food and Wine, a popular raw food restaurant in New York City.
Sarma has been in the limelight for her entrepreneurial ventures and the controversies surrounding her.
This article will explore Sarma Melngailis net worth in 2023 and more. Head to Publican Anker if you’re eager to read more articles on interesting topics!
| Information | Details |
| Full Name | Sarma Melngailis |
| Popular Name | Sarma |
| Gender | Female |
| Birth Date | September 10, 1972 |
| Age | 50 years (as of 2023) |
| Parents | John Melngailis (Father), Susan Toye (Mother) |
| Siblings | One elder sister |
| Birth Place | Newton, Massachusetts, USA |
| Nationality | American |
| Ethnicity | Caucasian |
| Education | Graduated from the University of Pennsylvania with a B.A. degree in 1994 and a B.S. degree in economics from the Wharton School |
| Marital Status | Divorced |
| Sexual Orientation | Not specified |
| Wife/Spouse | Anthony Strangis (Ex-husband) |
| Children | None |
| Dating | Not dating anyone currently |
| Net Worth | $4-5 million as of 2023 |
| Source of Wealth | Professional chef, cookbook author, businesswoman, and owner of vegan raw food restaurants |
| Height | 5 feet 5 inches |
| Weight | 50 kg |
Why is Sarma Melngailis Famous?
Sarma Melngailis gained fame as a chef and entrepreneur. She was passionate about raw food and believed in its health benefits. This led her to open Pure Food and Wine in 2004.
The restaurant quickly became a hit, especially among celebrities and health enthusiasts. However, her career took a turn when she faced legal issues.
In 2016, she was arrested for embezzling and not paying her staff. Bad Vegan: Fame, Fraud, Fugazi, a Netflix documentary, covered her experience.
What is Sarma Melngailis’s Net Worth and Salary in 2023?
Starktimes.com shows Sarma Melngailis’s net worth is around 4 – 5 million USD. She was a successful entrepreneur, but legal issues have hurt her financially.
Her restaurant was profitable before the controversy. After her arrest and legal troubles, her finances may have suffered. Her net worth and salary are unknown.
Sarma Melngailis’s Overview
Early Life
Sarma Melngailis was born in Riga, Latvia on September 10, 1972. She spent her early years in north-eastern Europe before her family relocated to Newton, Massachusetts, where she was raised and educated.
Her parents divorced when she was nine, a significant event in her childhood.
Melngailis attended Newton North High School and earned a B.A. and B.S. in economics from the Wharton School at Penn in 1994.
Her mother is a chef who co-founded Alyson’s Orchard, which inspired her passion for cuisine. This early exposure to the culinary world would later influence her career path.
After graduating, Melngailis worked in investment banking at Bear Stearns and private equity at Bain Capital. However, she soon realized that the finance sector was not her calling.
In 1999, she started her food and beverage career at the French Culinary Institute.
Career
Melngailis’s culinary career took off in 2001 when she opened Commissary with her then-boyfriend, Matthew Kenney.
Despite its closure in March 2003, Melngailis continued to make strides in the restaurant industry. She consulted for Jeffrey Chodorow’s China Grill Management.
She opened Pure Food and Wine in June 2004 with Chodorow and Kenney. This was Gramercy Park’s first luxury raw food restaurant.
The restaurant was:
- Twice named to New York Magazine’s Top 100 Restaurants.
- Five years in a row to Forbes’ All-Star New York Eateries.
Melngailis opened One Lucky Duck Juice and Takeaway in 2007 in addition to Pure Food and Wine.
Melngailis’s career took a big hit in January 2015. Pure Food and Wine and One Lucky Duck staff quit because she wouldn’t pay them a month’s salary.
This started a sequence of controversies that closed both businesses.
In May 2016, Melngailis and her then-husband Anthony Strangis, were arrested in Sevierville, Tennessee.
In May 2017, Melngailis pleaded guilty to taking over $2,000,000 from investors, cheating, and criminal tax fraud. She was imprisoned for over four months.
Personal Life
Melngailis had a tumultuous relationship with Anthony Strangis, whom she secretly married. Their romance affected her work and personal life, resulting in financial crimes.
During her legal battles, Melngailis had an affair with her married lawyer, Jeffrey Lichtman.
The relationship began in February 2017 and continued until May 2018, when they exchanged hundreds of explicit text messages.
Despite their scandalous connection, Melngailis got a plea bargain that cut her sentence by over 14 years. Melngailis reads, plays with her dog, writes a memoir, and does podcasts.
Her two publications, “Raw Food Real World” and “Living Raw Food,” reflect her vegan and raw food devotion.
Despite her past, Melngailis makes a living through her writing and other creative pursuits.
FAQs about Sarma Melngailis
What does Sarma Melngailis do for money?
Chef and businesswoman Sarma Melngailis has had legal issues before. Pure Food and Wine, her raw food restaurant, made money. Her occupation is unknown.
What does Sarma Melngailis do now?
After facing legal issues and the closure of her restaurant, her public profile has been low. It needs to be clarified what she is currently doing for work.
How much did Sarma get paid by Netflix?
Netflix normally spends $100–250 million on a movie. The median screenplay deal compensation was $375,000.
How much did Sarma owe her employees?
Sarma Melngailis was accused of not paying her employees wages of approximately $40,000.
What happened to Sarma Melngailis?
She faced legal troubles for alleged theft and not paying her employees. She was arrested in 2016, and her restaurant was closed.
Conclusion
Sarma Melngailis’s journey combines success, passion, and controversies. She was a visionary entrepreneur who struggled due to her decisions and relationships.
As of 2023, her net worth is uncertain due to the legal issues she encountered. Her narrative illustrates life’s ups and downs and the necessity of prudent choices.
