‘Iron Chef’ Cat Cora Awarded $565K in Lawsuit Against Shuttered Meatpacking Restaurant

Former Iron Chef Cat Cora was awarded a $565,000 on her lawsuit against the shuttered Manhattan restaurant Fatbird, Page Six reports.

The celeb chef sued her Fatbird partner Charissa Davidovici, who owns the Sugar Factory chain, in October 2017 for consulting fees totaling to $400,000. Cora claimed Davidovici did not pay her for using Cora’s name, likeness, and recipes.

Serving Southern food, Fatbird opened in the Meatpacking District in June 2017 and was a critical miss, with Eater senior critic Robert Sietsema writing that the drinks were “frankly stupid” and the restaurant was in “disarray.” It closed in December 2017 after never really finding its footing.

Cora’s lawsuit against the Fatbird restaurant group referenced the restaurant’s underperformance. “Cora has received the brunt of the blame for the restaurant’s lackluster performance, which has caused, and continues to cause, irreparable injury to Cora’s brand, good will and reputation as a world class chef and restauranteur,” the lawsuit read.

Now, as Page Six reports, Cora has won a judgement that covers the fee plus interest and legal costs, noting that Davidovici did not show up in court. Attorney Terrence Oved told Page Six that Cora “is pleased with the decision.”

Eater has reached out to Oved and Sugar Factory for further comment.

While Cora has run projects in airports and casinos through the years, Fatbird was a rare standalone restaurant for the celeb chef. She also helped open burger restaurant Mesa Burger in Santa Barbara, California.

• Celebrity chef Cat Cora wins $565K judgment against Fatbird [Page Six]