On Tuesday, Pearl Oyster Bar owner Rebecca Charles filed a lawsuit against Ed McFarland, a former employee and current chef-owner of Ed's Lobster Bar in SoHo, for allegedly copying “each and every element” of her restaurant. But McFarland is far from the first restaurant employee to strike off on his own, armed with a kitchen secret or two. (In fact, he's not even the first disciple of Charles's to run with the seafood shack formula – that honor goes to Mary Redding of Mary's Fish Camp.) Below, a few NYC eateries (and a certain little bakery) so popular, they've spawned a host of successful imitators operated by ex-staffers.
Lombardi's: Gennaro Lombardi, who founded this NoLita institution in 1905, trained the pizza makers who went on to create Totonno's, John's and, depending on who you talk to, Patsy's.
Magnolia Bakery: This wildly successful West Village bakery has launched several copycat cupcake shops – Buttercup Bake Shop, Billy's Bakery and Sugar Sweet Sunshine.
Mr. Chow: In 2005, chef Philippe Chow left this clubby East Sider to open Philippe, sparking a feud and fueling a Page 6 item claiming that Mr. Chow owner Michael Chow (no relation to Philippe) had intimidated vendors in a bid to stop them from supplying his rival. A Miami Beach branch of Philippe is set to debut this summer.
Papaya King: A former partner of this wiener wonder began peddling a suspiciously similar dogs-and-fruit-drinks combo in 1973 with Gray's Papaya.
Peter Luger Steak House: The king of NYC steakhouses has, by far, inspired the greatest number of clones, with former staffers opening Ben & Jack's Steak House, Benjamin Steakhouse, Blair Perrone Steakhouse, MarkJoseph Steakhouse and – its most successful knock-off – Wolfgang's Steakhouse.