While the production company for the popular series “Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives” and the Food Network that airs the show are engaged in a legal food fight, three local eateries are caught in the shrapnel.
Earlier this month, the show’s production company, Page Television and Video Productions, filed a lawsuit against Television Food Network in U.S. District Court in Minnesota.
In the lawsuit, Page Productions alleges that Food Network violated a legal agreement that covers “Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives” for, among other things, “failing to provide the services of the host and failing to make payments required by the contract.”
The beef, it seems, centers on “Triple D” superstar host Guy Fieri and whether he’s getting enough contractually agreed upon face time in front of Page Productions cameras.
But the casualties of this boiling battle could be Denver restaurants Tocabe and Bang and Boulder’s Sink (first reported in the Daily Camera). The three businesses were among a handful of Denver and Boulder eating establishments filmed by Page with Fieri in November.
While the other eateries’ “Triple D” episodes aired earlier, Tocabe, Bang and Sink were still in the can. Because Page has possession of the filmed footage and Food Network controls the time slot, those episodes remain in limbo.
“It’s upsetting, definitely,” Tocabe co-owner Benjamin Jacobs said. “We thought this would be a real turning point in our establishment. We talked to other restaurants (who made it on air), and it changed their world.”
In anticipation of the increased business, Jacobs hired three additional staff members and invested a lot of dough in kitchen upgrades.
“For little establishments, it means so much,” Jacobs said. “For it not to happen is a real downer.”
But a Food Network spokeswoman says she’s remaining “optimistic in a most general sense” that the shows will go on.
“Food Network will not comment on the specifics of any active litigation,” said Irika Slavin, Food Network’s vice president of communications and public relations. “We look forward to continuing to work with Guy Fieri to produce future original episodes of his popular show ‘Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives.’ “
Neither Page Productions nor its lawyers responded to requests for comment.
They’re baaaack.
The 25 luxury condos adjacent to the Ritz-Carlton Denver hotel, which have sat dormant for more than a year, have been given a new life by a group of investors who purchased the project for cash.
The buyers are Lynd Co., a San Antonio-based real-estate-development firm that owns commercial properties in Denver, and Los Angeles-based JP Morgan Asset Management. The purchase price was not disclosed.
“It’s good news for downtown and the condo industry now that the project is back in the hands of seasoned developers,” said Heath Delay, whose company Delay Development along with Concord Partners put the deal together and will be part of the management team.
Asking price for the finished units is $400 per square foot. The smallest condo, at 1,000 square feet, is priced at $400,000; the 5,500-square-foot penthouse’s price is $2.2 million. Homeowners-association fees are $5.50 per square foot annually.
Amenities included in each condo purchase are a private concierge service, valet parking, Ritz-Carlton catering and a lifetime membership to the Forza Fitness and Performance Club.
The condos at 1891 Curtis St. are adjacent to the 202-unit Ritz-Carlton hotel, which is under separate ownership.
EAVESDROPPING
A Facebook post:
“I waited for the Rapture and all I got was this lousy T-shirt.”
Penny Parker’s column appears Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Sunday. Listen to her on “Caplis & Silverman” between 4 and 5 p.m. Fridays on KHOW-630 AM. Call her at 303-954-5224 or e-mail pparker@denverpost.com.
