Donald Trump Sues DC Chef Jose Andres' ThinkFoodGroup for Backing Out of Hotel Deal

Presidential candidate Donald Trump is suing DC chef Jose Andres’ ThinkFoodGroup for backing out of a deal to open a restaurant in a Trump hotel opening in Washington, D.C., according to several media reports.

On Friday, the Republican presidential candidate sued, according to a report by WTOP: “Trump Old Post Office LLC sued Andrés’ ThinkFoodGroup and an affiliate, Topo Atrio LLC, for $10 million and attorneys fees, accusing them of two counts of breach of contract. The suit was filed in U.S. District court for the District of Columbia,” the report reads.

Celebrated DC-area chef Jose Andres announced earlier this month he was pulling out of a deal to open a restaurant at a new luxury hotel in DC being built by Trump, who is running at the top of the GOP presidential polls.

New York real estate mogul Trump immediately ran into trouble after making his announcement to run, after a statement he made about Mexicans: “They are bringing drugs. They are bringing crime. They’re rapists,” Trump said about Mexican immigrants, adding, “Some, I assume, are good people.”

Andres issued a statement afterward, to The Washington Post:

“Donald Trump’s recent statements disparaging immigrants make it impossible for my company and I to move forward with opening a successful Spanish restaurant in Trump International’s upcoming hotel in Washington, D.C.,” the statement reads.

Read the entire statement on the Post Web site here.

An online protest popped up urging Andres to #DumpTrump. Those signing the petition on change.org said:

Don’t Open A Restaurant in Donald Trump’s D.C. Hotel

“José Andrés embodies the American dream, having moved from Spain to start a family and create one of the most successful restaurant chains in culinary history,” the petition noted.

The luxury Trump International Hotel is set to open next year in Washington DC.

Trump’s comments also got him booted from NBC, where the network pulled the annual Miss USA and Miss Universe Pageants, which are part of a joint venture between NBC and Trump, and Macy’s, where the department store says it isphasing out Trump’s clothing line.

Andres initially posted a message on Twitter, in response to an WAMU report about the petition: “My views on immigration are clear. All men and women should be treated respectfully regardless of their status.”

Andres became a U.S. citizen in 2013, according to WAMU’s report.