Intel 9/2: Kanye and Friends At Pasquale Jones, Velocity Secures Record Funding And Gatorade Goes Organic

Robyn Lehr / Pasquale Jones

September 2, 2016

Kanye and Crew Visit Pasquale Jones after the VMAs

Robyn Lehr / Pasquale Jones

After an eventful night at the 2016 VMAs this Sunday, Beyoncé, Jay Z, Diddy, Cassie, Alicia Keys, Swizz Beats, Kim Kardashian, and Kanye West — whose long speech during the ceremony began with a shoutout to Taylor Swift and ended with a possible future bid for the White House — were spotted unwinding at Pasquale Jones, the cozy pizza place on Mulberry Street from the team behind Charlie Bird. According to E! News, the quadruple-date was “filled with celebration,” and lasted till about 4 in the morning.

Hospitality App Velocity Raises Record $22.5 Million in Series B Funding

Velocity, the sleek instant-booking app for curated dining and hospitality experiences, has raised $22.5 million in Series B funding led by DIG Investments, making it one of the best-funded startups in the restaurant industry. In 2015, Velocity raised $16 million during its initial round of funding, and this subsequent financing will enable the app to reach 29 cities worldwide by 2020. Among Velocity’s restaurant partners in New York are Blue Hill, Bowery Meat Company, Toro, Lure Fishbar, and ramen hotspot Ippudo, which now takes its reservations through Velocity exclusively.

Geoffrey Zakarian Tells Ivanka and Donald Trump Jr. to Sue Their Dad

Geoffrey Zakarian — the celebrity chef whom Trump sued after he backed out of a deal to open a restaurant in the D.C. Trump International Hotel after the Republican nominee made disparaging remarks about Mexican immigrants in the early stages of his campaign — has only nice things to say about Trump’s children, Donald Jr. and Ivanka, who are “really nice people” and “nothing like their father.” In fact, he recommends they sue their father for the failed business deal because Trump Sr. is the one who “rendered this Chernobyl. He did it,” Zakarian is quoted as saying in the deposition for his own lawsuit against Trump.

Gatorade Goes Organic

Gatorade’s parent company, PepsiCo., has announced the debut of an organic Gatorade line called “G Organic,” which is currently available at select locations of Kroger in mixed berry, strawberry, and lemon flavors. In the next few weeks, G Organic will be available at more supermarkets and grocery stores, for 50 cents more than the non-organic Gatorade Thirst Quencher.

Chipotle Faces Giant Lawsuit After Allegedly Forcing Thousands of Employees to Work Unpaid Hours

10,000 one-time employees of Chipotle have joined forces in a massive collective action lawsuit against the company which alleges that the company forced them to work unpaid “off the clock” hours as a regular part of their job since at least 2012. According to the suit, workers were automatically clocked out at the end of their closing shifts, despite the fact that they were often asked by managers to continue working. A Chipotle rep said in a statement that the company maintains the lawsuit “has no merit.”

Openings and Restaurant News

Sistina, the 33-year-old Italian restaurant on the Upper East Side, is moving into a six-story townhouse known as the “Upper East Side mansion” (at 24 East 81st Street) after Labor Day, with a soft opening slated for Tuesday, September 6.

Westlight, a new restaurant from Andrew Carmellini, will be the chef’s first-ever Brooklyn venue. The menu is described as “snacky, global fare.” In the fall, Carmellini will follow up with a second Brooklyn restaurant, Leuca at the William Vale hotel in Williamsburg.

Alain Ducasse’s renowned French bistro Benoit opens next Tuesday, September 6, with renovations like a brighter color scheme and more modern, contemporary dishes.