Willie Degel

Degel opened his first restaurant, Hollywood and Main, in June 1990 in Flushing, Queens. Six years later he created Uncle Jack's Steakhouse. Today, he owns three locations in New York City. As of March 12, 2012, Degel stars in his own show entitled Restaurant Stakeout. For the series, he goes behind the scenes of different restaurants across the country with hidden cameras to examine their service problems. He is also the author of "Inside the Mind of a Serial Entrepreneur", published by HarperCollins in May 2012. Degel appeared in the 2nd episode of Breakthrough with Anthony Robbins. Restaurant Stakeout has completed its fifth season.

At the age of 27, Degel was convicted of credit card fraud. He was sentenced to five years in prison, but was released after six months after a plea deal. His witness testimony against his co-conspirators helped the government prosecution leading to their incarceration, including Gambino crime family mobster Louis Ferrante. In 2005, he was named one of Crain's "40 under 40" entrepreneurs in New York City.

Willie "The Beast of the East" Degel (born William Jack Degel on September 1, 1967) is an American restaurateur, television personality, and former convicted felon. He is the founder and CEO of Uncle Jack's Steakhouse chain in New York City. He is best known as the host of Restaurant Stakeout, a reality television show on the Food Network.