Marc Murphy Sues Major Food Group Over Similar Restaurant Name

Major Food Group's The Landmark Rooms — in the space formerly known as the iconic Four Seasons restaurant — have not even opened yet, but the upscale restaurant empire behind them is already facing a string of controversies. The collective culinary community is casting a weary side-eye at Mario Carbone and Rich Torrisi's intention to make the restaurants an eating destination and to designate distinct male- and female-centric dining rooms.

The latest hiccup involves chef Marc Murphy (Chopped), who is suing Major Food Group — the upscale dining cabal founded by Carbone, Torrisi, and Jeff Zalaznick — for the use of a "confusingly similar name." Murphy, who owns Landmarc restaurants, is asking for an immediate halt to Major Food Group's use of the name, stating in the Manhattan federal court lawsuit that the Landmark name infringes on his trademark, according to the New York Post.

"When pronounced, the words Landmark and Landmarc are phonetically identical," the lawsuit states, while pointing out that the restaurants will only be located a mere mile from one another, and will be "marketed to the same type of customers, seeking high-quality fine dining in New York City."

Major Food Group, which also owns the small New York City chain Parm and Dirty French, did not respond in time for comment, and neither did Marc Murphy's company, Anvil NY, which filed the lawsuit.