Jay-Z Cans $1.5 Mil Lawsuit, Faces Possible Backlash From Ex-40/40 Club Chef

Written By S. Samuel

Rap mogul Jay-Z's publicized $1.5 million lawsuit against a former 40/40 Club chef has reportedly vanished into thin air less than a week after reports of its existence emerged online.

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According to reports, Young Hov and company have fallen back on taking legal action toward chef Mike Shand.

The saga over the secret spice mix for chicken wings that sparked a searing war between Jay-Z’s club and his former chef seems to have simmered down. Shand’s lawyer Vik Pawar told us, “The spice-mix recipe that Mike developed is his own recipe. 40/40 terminated him, then had the audacity to sue him for the recipe.” But last night, Pawar told us the club had dropped the suit — although the beef might not be quite over. Pawar added, “We still may sue the club for defamation of character and for the return of his possessions, including his laptop, which the club still has.” (New York Post)

Yesterday, specific details on Jay’s gripe against Shand hit the Internet.

Nothing comes between business associates like chicken wings. Jay-Z is suing chef Mike Shand for, among other things, allegedly stealing the 40/40 Club’s prized chicken wing recipe and spice-mix. Jay apparently hired Shand, who previously worked as his personal chef, to make changes to 40/40 as part of a $10 million renovation to Jay’s chain of sports bars. Now Jay is claiming that Shand never actually did that and he’s suing the chef for $1.5 million for “taking the recipes to popular menu items such as chicken wings.” (Complex)

Shand’s attorney Vik Pawar also released a statement to defend his client.

“The spice-mix recipe that Mike developed is his own recipe. 40/40 terminated him, then had the audacity to sue him for his recipes. He gave them all apart from this spice mix because it is his own. Mike had a wonderful relationship with Jay-Z and Beyoncé for many years.” (Prefix Mag)

Initial reports of the pricey lawsuit surfaced online a few days ago.

Jay-Z’s relationship with his personal chef has ended on a sour note. The hip-hop star’s famed Manhattan 40/40 Club yesterday served up a $1.5 million federal lawsuit against Mike Shand, who was tapped to run the nightspot’s kitchen after cooking on tour for both Jay-Z and wife Beyoncé. But court papers charge that Shand “failed to perform on significant aspects” of a deal to beef up the menu for the luxury sports bar’s $10 million reopening earlier this year. As a result, Jay-Z and partner Juan Perez were unable to deliver promised offerings, “costing the club lost profits, loss of good will [and] alienation of clientele,” the suit says. The Manhattan court filing adds, “The club has not been able to adequately replace the items and services defendant was paid to provide.” (New York Post)

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Written by S. Samuel

Steven Samuel is the co-founder of SOHH.com.

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