Elaine's Restaurant Left to Longtime Manager

The owner of Elaine's restaurant who died last month has left her Manhattan celebrity hangout to her longtime manager.

The New York Times reports that according to her will, Elaine Kaufman also left two five-story buildings to her manager, Diane Becker. The restaurant occupies the first floor of the buildings.  

Kaufman ran her Upper East Side establishment for 47 years. She died Dec. 3. She was 81.

Becker has managed Elaine's for 26 years. She told the Times that plans to keep the restaurant open have not changed since Kaufman's death.

She said "the staff is still here ... the only missing link is Elaine.''

The will is to be filed in Surrogate's Court in Manhattan on Thursday.     

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