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Member, Beacon International Group, Ltd.
A celebrity chef has managed to extricate himself from some legal hot water after opening a new restaurant with a familiar name and some familiar menu items.
Chef Laurent Tourondel has settled a trademark infringement lawsuit filed by his former employer, BLT Restaurant Group L.L.C., a unit of New York-based ESquared Hospitality. The company sued Mr. Tourondel after he opened a restaurant in Sag Harbor, N.Y., named LT Burger in August 2010. BLT claimed that LT Burger too closely mimicked the menu and name of BLT restaurants such as BLT Steak.For example, both eateries feature alcoholic milkshakes. While BLT Burger’s “Grandma’s Treat” contains Maker’s Mark, caramel and vanilla ice cream, LT Burger’s “Barking Bourbon” contains Jim Beam and maple pecan ice cream.
The parties eventually opted to settle out of court, signing a licensing agreement that enables ESquared to use trademarks owned by Mr. Tourondel in exchange for royalties.
In addition to pumpkin carving and trick-or-treating, lawsuits can be added to the list of longstanding traditions linked to Halloween.