Hit-And-Run Victim Was Chef At Murray Hill Restaurants

MURRAY HILL, NY — The man killed in a hit-and-run near Union Square Park on Tuesday was the executive chef at the local restaurant Hill & Bay, the restaurant confirmed.

Adrian Blanc, 34, died from his injuries on Wednesday after an SUV plowed over him on Tuesday at about 1 a.m. Surveillance footage shows the car stopping briefly before driving away as Blanc is left injured in the crosswalk. No one has been arrested in the collision.

Blanc was the executive chef at the neighborhood restaurant Hill & Bay, located at 581 Second Ave. Blanc began working for Hill & Bay about three years ago, and was recently asked to help launch the new restaurant Tali. Both restaurants are owned by the same parent company, the E.E. Hospitality Group. Tali, located at 77 Lexington Ave., opened in September. When Blanc first joined Hill & Bay he "made an extraordinary contribution" to help the restaurant thrive before joining Tali, the company said.

"Adrian was immensely talented. He was a dedicated worker and devoted family member. He was incredibly kind and loving. He had a heart of gold and he genuinely cared about all of his co-workers," the hospitality group said in statement. "He had an infectious laugh and being around him just made you feel good. He lived life to the fullest and did it with a smile."

E.E. Hospitality said they would donate 100 percent of the sales from Tali over the next 48 hours to a fund to support Blanc's family and his funeral costs.

Police are still hunting for the driver of the 2016 Jeep Renegade who struck Blanc as he was walking in a crosswalk near Union Square. Shocking surveillance footage shows the car making an abrupt left turn from 14th Street to head north on Union Square East. It barrels over Blanc, who can be seen standing in the crosswalk on the surveillance footage.

Image credit: Courtesy of GoFundMe