Taste Kitchen + Bar

The Legal Drama Surrounding Houston’s Taste Bar and Kitchen Just Keeps Getting Juicier | Eater Houston

"The Midtown restaurant at the center of a bitter legal fight, where the chef has filed a countersuit denying allegations of stealing cash and food, misusing PPP loans, and conspiring with the valet provider. The countersuit argues the original partnership agreement does not cover the business because the contract names a different restaurant, and it accuses the partner of hiring an unqualified accountant (his sister) who was allegedly on probation and pressured a $60,000 transfer that left the restaurant unable to pay sales and alcohol taxes. The chef says he cooperated with a forensic accounting review but was not given the report and that the partner used his attorney status to threaten litigation and invoke supposed privilege to gain confidences. Despite the partner’s objections, the chef took a PPP loan in April to pay rent, later saying he believed it to be a nonrepayable grant. The suit also alleges the partner disparaged the chef to a potential investor, causing a large withdrawn investment, and seeks a court ruling that the partnership agreement doesn’t apply, an order preventing the partner from making business decisions or making disparaging comments, an injunction against a competitor’s planned opening, and unspecified damages." - Amy McCarthy