Former Partners Sue Ayesha Curry For $10 Million In Celebrity Chef Branding Dispute
LOS ANGELES (CBS SF/AP) — A celebrity branding company on Wednesday sued Ayesha Curry, the food and lifestyle personality and wife of Golden State Warriors star Stephen Curry, seeking more than $10 million for breach of contract.
Flutie Entertainment said in a lawsuit filed in Los Angeles Superior Court that the five years it spent with Ayesha Curry brought "significant and unprecedented results." Those include helping Curry land a Food Network show and a hosting role on ABC's "Great American Baking Show," as well as producing a bestselling cookbook and launching several successful food-based businesses.
But the suit alleges that in the 11 months since terminating the relationship she has denied the company its share of proceeds from the businesses, deliberately slowed down new enterprises, took away a top employee and "essentially gutted and devalued Flutie Entertainment's interests."
An email by the Associated Press seeking comment from Curry's attorney Michael Plonsker was not immediately returned.
Flutie Entertainment's suit says Curry had a modest following for her social media and food blog and was known primarily as the wife of the star of the NBA champion Golden State Warriors when it began working with her. The Florida-based company, founded by Robert A. Flutie, was "clearly and undeniably instrumental in helping her achieve success."
The suit asserts that when Curry terminated the relationship in May 2019, Flutie had done major work with her developing partnerships, sponsors and legal and financial framework for Homemade, in which Curry would offer home meal kits along with other kitchen and lifestyle products, and Yardie Girl, an entertainment production company. The lawsuit alleges Curry and her co-defendants have stalled on moving forward with the projects to deny Flutie its share in them.
The suit also names as defendants six Curry-affiliated companies and a former Flutie employee who handled Curry's business for the company but now works directly with Curry.
It seeks damages of at least $10 million and a ruling that guarantees Flutie's stake in Homemade and Yardie Girl.
Curry, a 31-year-old native of Canada, was an actress when she married Stephen Curry in 2011, and began doing cooking demonstrations on YouTube in 2014. The couple has three kids.
During the current coronavirus outbreak, the Currys have been front and center in the San Francisco Bay Area supporting school children and health care workers. The couple has teamed up with the Alameda County Food Bank to provide one million meals to students who need them and they're asking others to join their cause.
"We want to make sure that we rally around everyone and that these kids are not wondering where their next meal is coming from," said Ayesha Curry.
Roughly 18,000 kids rely on the free or reduced-price breakfast and lunch they get at school.