Jeffrey Epstein and Tim Zagat: Flights, Dinners, and What the Documents Show
Fast facts
Tim Zagat is the co-founder of the Zagat restaurant guides, a well-known figure in New York’s dining and media world.
Public records show that Tim and Nina Zagat flew on Jeffrey Epstein’s private jet in February 2002, on at least one trip that included other high-profile passengers.
Annotated versions of Epstein’s contact lists and related databases show a Zagat entry in his address book, usually described as a publisher contact.
Newly reported emails and calendars from Epstein’s estate indicate that Epstein planned or attended dinners in New York with Tim and Nina Zagat years after his Florida sex-offender conviction.
There is no public evidence that Tim Zagat was involved in Epstein’s sex-trafficking crimes or charged with any Epstein-related offense.
The documented relationship is social and travel-related: shared flights and planned dinners in elite New York restaurant settings.
Tim Zagat’s name appears in some “Epstein lists” because of flight logs, contact entries, and email references, not because of any allegation of criminal conduct.
His case shows why, when reading Epstein document dumps or flight manifests, it is important to separate social contact from evidence of wrongdoing.
Who is Tim Zagat?
Tim Zagat is best known as the co-founder of the Zagat Survey, the pocket-sized restaurant guides that became a staple for diners in New York and other major cities. He and his wife, Nina, started the guide while working as lawyers, turning crowd-sourced restaurant ratings into a successful global brand.
Because of that role, Tim and Nina Zagat have long moved in circles that mix food, media, business, and politics. They were regulars at top Manhattan restaurants and were part of the same social world as many of the people who later appeared in Jeffrey Epstein’s contact lists and dinner parties.
Biographical material on the couple notes that they were acquainted with Epstein and that they flew on his private plane at least once. That is the starting point for understanding why Tim Zagat’s name appears in the wider Epstein record.
Tim Zagat in Epstein’s flight logs
The clearest documented link between Jeffrey Epstein and Tim Zagat is found in the flight manifests for Epstein’s Boeing 727, sometimes called the “Lolita Express.”
Transcribed logs from early 2002 show:
A February 2002 flight where “Nina & Tim Zagat” are listed among the passengers alongside Jeffrey Epstein, his assistant Sarah Kellen, and model scout Kelly Bovino, as well as other named guests such as cognitive scientist Steven Pinker, TV executive Geraldine Laybourne, producer Kit Laybourne, architect David Rockwell, and literary agent John Brockman.
The route for this cluster of flights includes legs such as JFK → Monterey (MRY) → Van Nuys (VNY) → Jacksonville (JAX) and then back to Florida. These are domestic U.S. flights; the manifests that list the Zagats do not show a stop at Epstein’s island in the Caribbean.
These entries are drawn from the same sets of flight logs that have been widely covered in the press and republished by multiple archives and investigative platforms. The logs document who was on the plane and the path of the aircraft; they do not describe what happened on board or at the destinations.
From what is publicly available, we can say:
Tim and Nina Zagat traveled on Epstein’s jet in February 2002 as part of a larger group of well-known guests.
The context appears to be a social or intellectual gathering, consistent with the mix of academics, media figures, and cultural personalities listed on the same manifests.
Nothing in the logs, by themselves, alleges any crime by any specific passenger.
Zagat and Epstein’s contact lists
In 2015, a version of Jeffrey Epstein’s personal phone directory, often called his “black book,” was made public through court proceedings. Later projects converted that book into searchable databases and added annotations.
Those compilations and summaries show:
A Zagat entry in Epstein’s contact lists, often labeled with a first name that appears as “Jim” but is described as a publisher, matching Tim Zagat’s role. Many researchers treat this as a likely reference to Tim Zagat, while noting the first-name discrepancy.
Some network-mapping and donation-tracking sites include the Zagat entry when they map Epstein’s social and philanthropic network. In those contexts, the listing is presented as a social or professional contact, not as a co-conspirator.
Being in Epstein’s address book means that Epstein or his staff had contact information for the person. It does not prove:
That the person did business with him.
That they knew about his criminal conduct.
That they ever visited his homes or island beyond what is shown in other records.
For Tim Zagat, the contact-list entries are best read as proof that Epstein had his details in a phone book, which fits with what we know from flight logs and later dinner invitations.
Emails and dinners: New York restaurant meetings after Epstein’s conviction
A more recent set of documents, drawn from emails and calendars provided by Epstein’s estate to the U.S. government, has been reported by major outlets. These materials give a glimpse into Epstein’s social life in the years after his 2008 conviction in Florida.
Those reports describe:
Epstein continuing to book tables at prominent New York restaurants like Le Cirque and other high-end spots.
Emails from his assistants noting that “Tim Zagat will try to come” to a birthday dinner for a guest, and similar references to Tim and Nina Zagat as invitees or expected attendees at dinners in 2014.
A pattern in which Epstein, already a registered sex offender, still socialized with Manhattan elites, including well-known media figures and tastemakers.
In this context, Tim Zagat appears as:
A potential dinner guest at Epstein-hosted or Epstein-adjacent meals.
Part of a New York power-couple frequently invited to upscale events because of their status in the restaurant and media world.
Again, these emails document social planning and restaurant bookings. They do not allege criminal conduct by Zagat. They do, however, show that Epstein remained within the same social circles as Tim and Nina Zagat long after his first criminal case.
What the record does not show about Tim Zagat and Epstein
When people search for phrases like “Jeffrey Epstein Tim Zagat connection” or see Zagat’s name on an Epstein flight manifest, it is easy to jump to conclusions. The available public record, however, is limited and specific.
As of now, there is no public evidence that:
Tim Zagat was involved in Epstein’s sex-trafficking activities.
Zagat took part in the recruitment, abuse, or exploitation of any victims.
Zagat had a business partnership or financial venture with Epstein beyond social contact and shared travel.
Zagat has been charged in any court with an Epstein-related crime.
What we do have is:
Flight logs that list Tim and Nina Zagat as passengers on at least one series of flights with Epstein in 2002.
Contact-book entries and name lists that show a Zagat listing in Epstein’s address network.
Emails and calendar notes showing Tim and Nina Zagat as dinner guests or invitees at Epstein-linked meals in New York, years after his conviction.
That is a picture of social and travel contact in elite circles. It is not, by itself, a picture of criminal collaboration.
How to read Tim Zagat’s name in the Epstein files
Tim Zagat’s appearance in Epstein-related materials is a good example of how to approach names in document dumps and data sets.
When you see his name:
Look at the document type
Flight log: tells you he was on a plane with Epstein on a certain date, nothing more.
Contact list: tells you Epstein had his contact information.
Email or calendar note: tells you he was invited to or expected at a dinner.
Separate proximity from participation
Being on a plane or at a dinner with Epstein shows social proximity. It does not prove knowledge of or involvement in his crimes.
Be wary of long “Epstein lists” without context
Some online lists simply dump names from the black book, flight logs, and court filings into one place. Without dates, roles, and document types, they can falsely suggest equal levels of involvement.
Remember that many names in the record belong to ordinary contacts
Lawyers, academics, entertainers, and publishers like Tim Zagat often appear because Epstein moved in their world, not because they shared in his abuses.
Taking these steps helps keep research fair. It also respects the line between documented contact and unsupported accusation.
Summary: the documented relationship between Jeffrey Epstein and Tim Zagat
Put together, the public record shows a narrow but clear picture:
Tim Zagat, co-founder of the Zagat restaurant guides, moved in the same New York elite circles as Jeffrey Epstein.
Tim and Nina Zagat flew on Epstein’s private jet on at least one trip in 2002 with a group of academics, media figures, and cultural personalities.
A Zagat entry appears in Epstein-related contact lists, consistent with their social connection.
Emails and calendars from Epstein’s estate show that, years after Epstein’s Florida conviction, Epstein still invited Tim and Nina Zagat to dinners at top New York restaurants.
There is no public evidence that Tim Zagat participated in Epstein’s criminal conduct, nor that he has faced Epstein-related charges.
In short, the documented link between Jeffrey Epstein and Tim Zagat is that of social acquaintance, shared flights, and occasional dinners, as recorded in flight manifests, contact lists, and scheduling emails. Any claim that goes beyond those specific facts should be treated with caution unless it can be backed by clear, primary documents.
Tim Zagat
This research page compiles publicly available information about Tim Zagat and their place in the broader Jeffrey Epstein connection graph. People may appear here either because they are mentioned in one or more evidence items (such as flight logs, emails, legal records or credible public reporting), or because reliable public sources document relationships or affiliations that link them to others in this network.
Some profiles therefore track individuals who may be several steps removed — sometimes up to six degrees of separation — from Jeffrey Epstein himself. They are included so researchers can see whether those names later recur in other documents, networks, or investigations. Listing Tim Zagat here is not, by itself, a statement of guilt or innocence.
Use the network graph, shortest-path view, and evidence links below to explore how this person connects to others in the dataset and to Jeffrey Epstein.
Wikipedia Information 
Nina S. Zagat and her husband, Eugene Henry “Tim” Zagat, Jr. are the founders and publishers of Zagat Restaurant Surveys. They met at Yale Law School and were both practicing attorneys when they founded Zagat Surveys.
- Tim Zagat
- Jeffrey Epstein
Closest Connections
- Jeffrey Epstein — Epstein Email — Weak
Evidence
- Tim Zagat (Other) 0
Click a name to highlight 1° / 2° / 3° rings. Edge thickness indicates connection strength. Use Tab to focus and arrow keys to navigate.
The presence of Tim Zagat in this dataset should be understood in a research and mapping context only. The project traces publicly documented relationships and degrees of separation — sometimes several steps removed — to see whether particular names recur across different evidence sets over time.
A person may therefore appear here because they are directly mentioned in documents, because they have a publicly reported relationship or affiliation with others in the network, or because they sit several links away in a chain of acquaintances. Inclusion alone does not imply criminal conduct, moral judgment, or endorsement.