Home / Business and Economy / Tribunal Slams Salt Bae: Pays Costs in 'SALT' Row
Tribunal Slams Salt Bae: Pays Costs in 'SALT' Row
4 Dec
Summary
- Salt Bae ordered to pay legal costs in a trademark dispute.
- Tribunal criticized evidence as unfocused press articles.
- The celebrity chef's attempt to ban rival's trademark failed.
A tribunal has ordered celebrity restaurateur Salt Bae, real name Nusret Gokce, to pay £1,600 in legal costs after his attempt to block a rival company's trademark application for the word 'SALT' failed. The two-year legal dispute centered on a food company's application to trademark 'SALT' for a burger bar, which Salt Bae's parent company argued would infringe on his existing trademark.
Lawyers for Salt Bae submitted numerous press articles as evidence of his popularity and brand recognition. However, the tribunal's hearing officer criticized this evidence as "entirely of press of articles" and "unfocussed." She concluded that customers associate the 'Salt Bae' personality with the restaurant group but do not necessarily use the logo as a trade sign.
Ultimately, the opposition to the trademark was dismissed, with the tribunal ruling that the celebrity chef's bid to ban the rival's use of 'SALT' was unsuccessful. This legal defeat occurs amidst reports of significant financial losses for his UK restaurant operations.
