Missing chef found dead in NYC hostel

Police discovered the body of a missing chef at a Queens hostel Thursday, the NYPD said in a statement. Andrea Zamperoni had been missing since Monday. His friends and coworkers at the iconic Cipriani restaurant have been worried the whole time.

The 33-year-old’s body was discovered nearby his apartment. The hostel is known to be a trouble spot for prostitution and drugs, CBS New York reported.

The restaurant issued a statement mourning Zamperoni on Thursday, calling him a “well-respected and beloved member of the Cipriani team.”

“Andrea was a responsible, good-hearted, kind and very hard-working individual who will be deeply missed by all of us. We trust the NYPD is exerting all efforts to investigate and bring clarity to this tragic situation,” the statement said.

Zamperoni, an Italian native, worked at the restaurant for more than a decade, friends and family members told CBS New York.

“Everyone in the company is freaking out we’re talking about a globally run company. We have thousands of people right now freaking out for Andrea his family in Europe is freaking out,” his co-worker, Ignacio Albo, told the station.

The local medical examiner’s office will determine the cause of death. An investigation is ongoing.