Zeidel & Associates Protects Club Owner’s Interests in Beachfront Restaurant Renovation and Consulting Agreement

Situation

Zeidel & Associates represented the owner of a private member’s club community located on an its own island. The client planned to renovate its beachfront restaurant – complete with beach lounge chair service – and initially intended to hire a new restaurant manager to oversee both pre and post opening operations as well as manage the renovation project.

Approach

While the original plan contemplated a full operational engagement with the manager, the client ultimately decided to self-manage the restaurant once the renovation was complete. Because the renovation incorporated design and operational elements inspired by other restaurants and beach clubs managed worldwide by the manager the client had been considering, the client still sought the manager’s expertise in a consulting capacity. Zeidel & Associates negotiated a consulting agreement under which the manager would advise the client’s leadership team on the renovation, including concept creation, menu ideation, and recipe development and engineering.

Given the client’s long-term operational plans, the agreement was carefully structured to ensure that upon completion of the renovation and termination of the consulting engagement, the client would maintain exclusive ownership of all intellectual property rights and work product produced in connection with the services. This included the restaurant’s trade name, overall design, concepts, menu pricing, beverage offerings, and other services provided at the restaurant.

Result

The final consulting agreement allowed the client to benefit from the manager’s global expertise while preserving complete ownership and control over the restaurant’s branding, design, and operational framework. Zeidel & Associates’ careful negotiation ensured the client could execute its vision for the beachfront restaurant without future restrictions, protecting both its investment and its ability to independently operate the venue for years to come.