SNL star recounts awkward encounter at Sant Ambroeus after saying hi to Demi Moore and her celebrity dog Pilaf, prompting a tense standoff with the restaurant manager
Chloe Fineman’s Casual Hello Turns Into a Dining Drama in New York
Saturday Night Live cast member Chloe Fineman found herself at the center of an unexpected dining debacle after a seemingly innocent exchange with actress Demi Moore — and Moore’s famed tiny dog, Pilaf — led to a tense confrontation with a New York City restaurant manager.
In a now-viral TikTok video posted alongside her sister Emma, Fineman detailed the run-in, which took place at the Italian eatery Sant Ambroeus on Madison Avenue. The comedian began the story on a light note, recalling how the two were enjoying “the best day of our lives” before reluctantly settling on the upscale restaurant in what she dubbed “the food desert known as Madison Avenue.”
“We sit down, and then I look up and it’s Pilaf little mouse, the celebrity dog of Demi Moore,” Fineman recounted with amusement. “And I see Demi Moore and I was like, ‘Oh, hi!’ We’ve met once or twice and I’ve held Pilaf because Pilaf was backstage at an SNL show.”
Emma Fineman added that Moore “fully said hi back,” and emphasized that it wasn’t a disruptive moment. But not everyone was pleased.
Enter the restaurant manager.
According to Fineman, a stern man approached and questioned her presence at the restaurant, despite the room being filled with empty tables. “He’s like, ‘What are you doing here? Ma’am, come, come with me,’” she recalled. “I don’t know, maybe I had no makeup on — did I not look legitimate enough for this empty room of Sant Ambroeus?”
She continued, “I guess I didn’t realize you had to talk to another Italian guy to get a seat.”
The encounter only escalated from there.
“I was like, ‘Calm down. I’m not nobody. I’m on SNL,’” Fineman said. “He was like, ‘I don’t care who you are. I treat everybody the same.’ And I was like, ‘You’re being rude,’ and he’s like, ‘You’re being rude!’”
Ultimately, Fineman removed herself from the situation, noting that the confrontation triggered “a personality of mine that I don’t love.” She admitted it may have resembled a “Karen moment,” but brushed it off as “living in New York and everyone is rude as f—.”
“All I did was say hi to Pilaf little mouse,” she sighed.
Entertainment Weekly has reached out to Sant Ambroeus and Demi Moore’s representatives for comment.
Fineman, known for her sharp celebrity impressions, joined Saturday Night Live in 2019 and has since become one of the show’s standout performers. She’s no stranger to calling out uncomfortable experiences — including with high-profile guests. Last year, she revealed that Elon Musk made her and other cast members cry when he hosted SNL in 2021.
As for this recent incident, it seems Chloe Fineman just wanted a bite to eat, a brief hello, and a Pilaf moment — but got a viral restaurant saga instead.
