Bake Off Legend Mary Berry Orders California Brewery to Take Her Face Off Its Beer

Mary Berry is surprisingly litigious

Mary Berry, former Great British Bake Off judge, author of more than 75 cookbooks, and TV presenter, does not want her face or name on your pastry stout, thank you. Armistice Brewery in Richmond, California, wanted to name what it describes as “an absurd beer” — “a massive pastry stout with over 200 pounds of raspberry puree, two kinds of single-source cacao [...] vanilla, lactose” — after Mary Berry, because she is, in co-founder Alex Zobel’s words, “the queen of pastries.” Unfortunately, using the name, and face, of a worldwide TV personality who has a never-ending line of books, cookware, and the like was never going to be smooth sailing, and Berry’s lawyers immediately ordered a cease-and-desist. The brewery will now sell the beer as Cease and Desist Berry, which is not the best name in the world, and cover Berry’s face with upside down smiley stickers. Everyday’s a law school day. [SF Gate]

And in other news...

• St. John is opening in Los Angeles. Yes: Fergus Henderson and Trevor Gulliver’s world-famous shrine to nose-to-tail cooking is really going to California.
• Two of central London’s most popular restaurants, Bao and Hoppers, will open at Pancras Square in King’s Cross.
• A new Soho brasserie, Folie, will bring French Riviera cooking to Golden Square.
• Trivet, from Heston Blumenthal alumni, will open in London Bridge October 29.
• Just how “soft” is a London restaurant soft opening full of #invites, previews, and social media praise?
• Mexican chain Benito’s Hat, which has eight London restaurants, is the latest to restructure. It’s not expected to close restaurants. [Big Hospitality]
• Good tweet: