New York Chef and Her Protege Settle Lawsuit

A Manhattan chef and her protege have settled the intellectual property lawsuit she brought against him after he opened a rival seafood bar.

Pearl Oyster Bar chef Rebecca Charles had accused Ed McFarland, chef and co-owner of Ed’s Lobster Bar, of copying “each and every element” of her business.

Charles’ lawsuit had claimed Ed’s Lobster Bar copied elements that included the white marble bar, the gray paint on the wainscoting and the chairs and bar stools with their wheat-straw backs.

The Pearl Oyster Bar is in the West Village; Ed’s Lobster Bar is in SoHo. McFarland once served as Charles’ sous-chef.

Both sides in the case have agreed to keep the details of the settlement confidential.

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Information from: The New York Times