NEW YORK - One of the citys most prominent restaurateurs took out a full-page advertisement in The New York Times on Wednesday, accusing the newspapers chief food critic of lacking the bona fides to do the job.

Your readers would not expect your drama critic to have no background in drama or your architecture critic to not be an architect, Jeffrey Chodorow wrote. For a publication that prides itself on integrity, I feel your readers should be better informed as to this VERY IMPORTANT fact, so they can give your reviews the weight, or lack thereof, they deserve.

The ad comes on the heels of Frank Brunis scathing review of Chodorows newest Manhattan eatery, Kobe Club, which specializes in serving tender and fatty Kobe beef from Japan. A 10-ounce rib-eye portion of the beer-fed cattle costs $150 on Chodorows menu.

Although Kobe Club does right by the fabled flesh for which its named, it presents too many insipid or insulting dishes at prices that draw blood from anyone without a trust fund or an expense account, Bruni wrote Feb. 7.

At least one other high-profile critic has also panned the restaurant. In the highly competitive New York restaurant world, such criticisms can be the financial kiss of death.

Id like to see The New York Times have a food critic that has no agenda and has culinary experience, which is not Frank Bruni, Chodorow said.

The ad was addressed to Pete Wells, editor of the newspapers Dining section, who said the paper has no plans to move Bruni to another job. He also said he had his employees back.

Yes. Absolutely, Wells said in an e-mail.

According to a biography on the Times Web site, Bruni has served as chief of the papers Rome bureau and in other news positions but has no prior experience as a restaurant critic. 2007 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.