Sarabeth's Kitchen replaces Larry Forgione restaurants at Lord & Taylor stores

Nation's Restaurant News,  June 30, 2008  

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NEW YORK -- Restaurateurs Sarabeth and Bill Levine, operators of the five-unit Sarabeth's Kitchen based here, have inked a deal with contract foodservice provider Compass Group North America to open satellite units of their upscale bakery-cafe concept at the Lord & Taylor department store chain, replacing celebrity chef Larry Forgione's Signature Cafe restaurants.

The licensing deal between Sarabeth's and Compass is for five years with automatic extensions built in, Bill Levine said. Fie added that while Compass Group will manage the restaurant operations, Sarabeth's would be closely involved in developing the new decor and the menus. Breakfast and lunch dayparts will be offered and possibly tea service and dinner, depending on the necessity for it, he noted.

The conversion of the eight restaurants to reflect Sarabeth's decor and menu will begin in mid-July, and the first one is expected to open in the fall. The rest will follow over a two-year period.

According to Levine, none of the Lord & Taylor restaurants will close while they are being redesigned.

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