José Andrés cancela abrir restaurante
en nuevo hotel de Trump
Jose Andres, the D.C.-based super-chef with a
growing national brand, is backing out of a deal to open the flagxhip
restaurant in
Donald Trump’s forthcoming Washington hotel – the latest on a growing list of
high-profile partners to sever ties with the presidential candidate over his
anti-immigrant comments.
Andres, the co-owner of ThinkFoodGroup whose
restaurant empire spans 18 restaurants and food trucks, multiple cookbooks
and TV shows, described the move in a statement to The Washington Post as
both a professional and personal one. The Spanish-born chef, who rcame an American
citizen in
2013 after living in the U.S. for decades, frequently invokes his pride in
being an immigrant.
«Donald Trump’s recent statements disparaging
immigrants make it impossible for my company and I to move forward with opening
a successful Spanish restaurant in Trump International’s upcoming hotel in
Washington, D.C.,» the statement reads. «More than half of my team is Hispanic,
as are many of our guests. And, as a proud Spanish immigrant and recently
naturalized American citizen myself, I believe that every human being deserves
respect, regardless of immigration status.»
A spokesman for the restaurant group would not
disclose the terms of the lease Andres had signed with Trump’s organization for
the restaurant, which was to open next year in Trump’s $200 million
redevelopment of the historic Old Post Office Pavilion. But Trump’s son,
Donald Trump Jr., e-mailed a response, indicating that the contract was for 10
years and that the Trumps could sue for unpaid rent and other damages — meaning
a potential lawsuit could prove expensive.
«Our relationship with José Andrés has always been
a good one, but simply put, José has no right to terminate or otherwise abandon
his obligations under the lease,» Trump Jr. wrote. «In the event Mr. Andrés
defaults in the performance of his obligations, we will not hesitate to take
legal action to recover all unpaid rent for the entire 10 year term together
with all attorneys’ fees and additional damages we may sustain. We will also
enforce the exclusivity provisions preventing Mr. Andrés from opening a
competing restaurant anywhere in the D.C area. Mr. Andrés’ obligations
under the lease are clear and unambiguous. More importantly, construction is
ahead of schedule at Trump International Hotel, Washington D.C. and when
completed in 2016, will be a crown jewel within the Trump Hotel Collection.”
Reproducido del Washington Post.
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