Chef Jose Andrés has responded to a lawsuit filed against him by the Trump Organization with a suit of his own. At issue is the failed deal between the two parties that would have seen Andrés open and operate a signature restaurant in the new Trump International Hotel that is going into the Old Post Office Building.
Andrés backed out of the deal after Trump’s inflammatory immigration remarks on the campaign trail. The Trump Organization responded by filing a $10M breach-of-contract lawsuit. Andrés has countersued for $8M and alleges that Trump’s remarks were the reason for the failed deal as it would have made it impossible to open and establish a Spanish restaurant.
The Trump Organization is also going round and round with chef Geoffrey Zakarian over a failed restaurant deal at the new hotel, with the parties having already filed a suit and countersuit. While these issues are being sorted out, Trump has found a replacement for the celebrity chefs. BLT Prime has agreed to operate the signature restaurant on-site, with both restaurant and hotel scheduled to open by fall 2016. [WBJ]
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