Willie Degel facts for kids

Willie "The Beast of the East" Degel (born William Jack Degel on September 1, 1967) is an American restaurateur and television personality. A restaurateur is someone who owns or manages restaurants. He is the person who started and is the CEO of the Uncle Jack's Steakhouse restaurants in New York City. Many people know him as the host of Restaurant Stakeout, a reality TV show on the Food Network.

Early Life

Willie Degel was born and grew up in Queens, New York. He is the youngest of four brothers in his family.

Building a Restaurant Business

Willie Degel has built a successful career in the restaurant world. He started his first restaurant when he was quite young.

Starting His First Restaurant

In June 1990, Willie Degel opened his very first restaurant. It was called Hollywood and Main and was located in Flushing, Queens. This was the start of his journey in the food business.

Uncle Jack's Steakhouse

Six years after opening his first place, Degel created Uncle Jack's Steakhouse. This restaurant became very popular. Today, he owns three Uncle Jack's Steakhouse locations. All of these restaurants are in New York City.

Becoming a TV Star

Willie Degel is not only known for his restaurants. He also became famous through his television appearances.

Restaurant Stakeout

Since March 12, 2012, Degel has starred in his own TV show called Restaurant Stakeout. In this series, he visits different restaurants across the country. He uses hidden cameras to find out what problems they might have with their service. The show helps restaurants improve how they serve their customers. Restaurant Stakeout has aired for five seasons.

Author and Other Appearances

Willie Degel is also an author. He wrote a book called Inside the Mind of a Serial Entrepreneur. An entrepreneur is someone who starts new businesses. This book was published by HarperCollins in May 2012. Degel also appeared in an episode of Breakthrough with Anthony Robbins.