Ariana Madix and Katie Maloney Sued by Former Chef of Their Something About Her Sandwich Shop

Per the complaint, chef Penny Davidi claims that the duo did not honor the terms of her role as COO and Director of Culinary at the restaurant

Chef Penny Davidi with Katie Maloney and Ariana Madix
Chef Penny Davidi with Katie Maloney and Ariana Madix. Photo:

Penny Davidi/Instagram

Ariana Madix and Kate Maloney are facing a lawsuit just two months after opening their Los Angeles sandwich shop, Something About Her

Chef Penny Davidi is suing the Vanderpump Rules stars for not upholding the terms of their written “partnership,” according to the filing obtained by PEOPLE. TMZ was the first to report the news. 

Maloney confirmed in April that they had parted ways with Davidi, according to Bravo.

The complaint states that in June 2023, the trio agreed that Davidi possessed 10% of the partnership, serving as the “COO/Director of Culinary.” The chef would be paid $7,500 a month, which would ultimately increase to $10,000 in January 2024, per the complaint. It was contingent on Davidi helping run Something About Her, which she claims she has. 

According to the complaint, Davidi alleges Madix and Maloney are denying the terms of the original partnership.  Within her lawsuit, the chef is seeking a judge to declare that the partnership and its terms are legally binding.

PEOPLE reached out to Davidi but she declined to comment. 

Katie Maloney and Ariana Madix; Chef Penny Davidi
Katie Maloney, Ariana Madix and chef Penny Davidi.

Phillip Faraone/Getty; Penny Davidi/Instagram

PEOPLE did not immediately hear back from a representative for Madix and Maloney.

Something About Her opened in West Hollywood in May after permitting issues and other logistics caused delays. Madix and Maloney first announced plans to open the shop in 2022.

The duo spoke with PEOPLE about the setbacks in an interview ahead of the opening. 

“We both believed that it would always happen, that we were going to make it happen,” Madix said at the time. “But there was definitely some moments of deep breathing at times when something else would pop up, and you just have to take a second.”

Katie Maloney and Ariana Madix celebrate the opening of their new sandwich shop "Something About Her" at Something About Her on May 21, 2024 in West Hollywood, California
Katie Maloney and Ariana Madix at the opening of their sandwich shop.

Phillip Faraone/Getty 

“I don't think it was ever a moment of this won't happen, but it was just kind of like, 'Okay, but how much longer are we talking?'” Maloney added. “'Are we talking weeks or months at this point?'”

Maloney said “relinquishing control” helped her “trust the process more.” As a newbie in the restaurant business, Madix called it an "incredible learning experience."

The Dancing with the Stars finalist was served with another lawsuit just one day before Davidi’s petition. 

Tom Sandoval attends the 2024 iHeartRadio ALTer EGO at the Honda Center on January 13, 2024 in Anaheim, California; Ariana Madix; Rachel Leviss arrives at the KIIS FM's iHeartRadio Jingle Ball 2023 Presented By Capital One at The Kia Forum on December 01, 2023 in Inglewood, California.
Tom Sandoval, Ariana Madix and Rachel Leviss.

Elyse Jankowski/Getty; Kim Nunneley/Peacock via Getty; Steve Granitz/FilmMagic

Her ex Tom Sandoval filed a lawsuit against Madix for allegedly accessing his phone without his "permission" and reviewing "images, information, data, videos and/or communications" that included "FaceTime videos" between him and Rachel Leviss, the costar with whom he was having an affair.

In the complaint obtained by PEOPLE, Sandoval, 42, claimed that Madix "made copies of the data and distributed the data to Leviss and third parties without [his] authorization or permission."

The alleged incident happened on March 1, 2023, which was just two days before PEOPLE confirmed that Sandoval and Madix had broken up after nine years together as a result of his affair with Leviss.

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