Dinner For $60,000? Chicago Restaurant moto Isn't That Expensive

By Anthony Todd in Food on Jul 16, 2012 3:00PM

We knew moto was one of the top 10 most expensive restaurants in America, but last time we were there it cost hundreds, not thousands, of dollars. Not so for a couple of contestants from Top Chef, who were presented with this bill at the end of their meal. The total was "around $60K," owner Homaro Cantu informed us on Sunday.

Luckily, this receipt was an elaborate gag played by the restaurant. Two of the restaurant's chefs, Chris Jones (who has since left) and Richie Farina, were contestants on the last season of Top Chef. Farina and Cantu apparently decided to play a little joke on the two visitors and fellow contestants, Chris Crary and Grayson Schmitz, and sent out this bill, which included items like a $5,168 "table relocation" fee, a $16,000 water pour fee (something we're always wary of) and a $1000 "chef harassment fee." After the mandatory 18 percent service charge, the total ended up around $60,000.

We can only imagine the look on the faces of Crary and Schmitz. Chef Cantu definitely has a sense of humor, though we hope he doesn't use it on us any time soon. (Cantu informed us, the meal was comped for the two special guests.)