Jay Z's 40/40 Club Sues Ex-Chef for $1.5M

By Andrew Lu on August 23, 2012 | Last updated on March 21, 2019

Jay Z's 40/40 Club in Manhattan served a $1.5 million lawsuit against his ex-personal chef, Mike Shand.

Shand was allegedly tabbed to work on the 40/40 Club's menu, but "failed to perform on significant aspects" of the deal, reports the New York Post. As a result, Jay Z and the club say they were unable to offer some of the fare the club had promised, costing the club $10 million.

It's not clear what "significant aspects" means, but based on the Post story it appears that the rapper/mogul had promised an upgraded menu for the club's reopening last year, and was sorely disappointed with what was actually offered.

Prior to the 40/40 Club lawsuit, Shand was Jay Z's and Beyonce's personal chef and followed them on tour cooking for the couple, reports the Post. Jay Z was happy enough with Shand's offerings for the couple, that he asked Shand to also run the kitchen for his popular club.

It's not clear what Shand agreed to provide for Jay Z, but court papers filed by the club indicate that Shand failed to deliver on these promises. The club's current menu comprises of basic bar fare like nachos, macaroni and cheese, and grilled chicken breast, reports the Post.

Whether Shand will be liable in the breach of contract lawsuit will depend upon the wording of his agreement with the 40/40 Club and what he actually did (and did not) agree to provide. For his part, Shand's attorney says they don't know why Jay Z and the 40/40 Club would pursue a lawsuit against him.

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