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Not to me it isn't. What if Rebecca wins, this changes everything. What if there was only one place in NYC where you could experience a "seafood shack".

Exactly. I think IP rights have been pushed too far already (a copyright term of life plus 75 years?), and a victory by POB could have serious consequences. Everyone steals from everyone else -- that's how ideas and art (and cuisine) evolve. Allowing someone to own the right to a restaurant concept could really stifle creativity and innovation.

Maybe McFarland violated her trust. Maybe he's a worldclass jerk. But IMO she crossed the line when she filed the lawsuit.

I agree with Kim Nyland; jumping on any possible, theoretical hint of bias is just far too easy, especially in this all-about-taking-sides situation.

This is also about free publicity. Mary's Fish Camp, which has not been mentioned, should be furious.

I find the whole bias thing crap. Ed's relationship with Rebecca doesn't really play into this at all..my gawd he's calling her out for this tomfoolery just as much as he's called out Ed for his restaurant "Ed's uses the same toilet paper as Pearl". I'm reading this article to say....Quit taking yourselves so goddamn seriously...it ain't brain surgery. But please if you're going to call yourself a chef & open your own place....use your own damn imagination & passion.

The point,......this guy is a unimaginitive schmuck & this is pretty silly.

Do you disagree?

I'm sure both restaurants will see a boost in business, which is most likely her agenda anyways. Yes, it sucks that someone you trusted doesn't have a dream of his own or imagination ...but please using the court to tell him he's a slimeball? Pathetic.

In the bread baking world we have the guild, in which our main purpose is to share ideas (formulas/recipies) & educate other so we can have great artisan bakeries everywhere.

No matter how hard someone tries....Swan Oyster can never be replicated.....& it's true it's not a restaurant..it's an seafood joint. Anchor Steam Draft & crab @ 8am.....a beautiful joint!

I find it trully amazing how some one like Rebecca Chales can be so shallow when she has clearly taken her ideas and inspirations from other Chefs. In an article posted in the San Francisco chronicle by Michael Bauer (www.sfgate.com) he wanted to get a chef's perspective on the issue so he went straight to the top and asked Thomas Keller his opinion. Any one in this industry knows who this is. His response was and this is a direct quote from the article, "I think it's a bit absurd and laughable in the face of the industry we're in -- hospitality. It's all about sharing what we do and sharing what we know."

Three cheers to Thomas Keller and all the others who realize how ridiculous this really is. It's such a shame that people have nothing better to do with there time than to come up with bogus law suits instead of being happy for people they have mentored especially since it's clear that she didn't invent any of her recipes and they are all borrowed from somewhere else even if they were modified. Isn't that what all chefs do?

I don't think there's even a brand involved. Jasper White has been doing upscale New England food for decades. (And I can recommend his Summer Shacks in Cambridge and Boston.) If you're in business and good at what you do, someone is going to try to knock it off. Yes, it's a pity that someone she trusted decided to do the same sort of thing, but when she admits so many influences - including getting the recipe for the Caesar salad from her mom who had it from an LA restaurant - then getting mad about someone "copying" her just doesn't sound quite as legitimate.

Great site, by the way - I've never been here before, but will definitely point to it from my own blog.