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Francis Ford Coppola. Photo: The Chronicle
Last week, word came out that film legend Francis Ford Coppola decided to sue Tavola Italian Kitchen, a little restaurant in Novato. Turns out Coppola has trademarked the Italian phrase “a tavola” and uses the common Italian phrase to describe his occasional dinners at his Geyserville restaurant, Rustic.
You can read the entire 93-page lawsuit here. Some of the evidence the Coppola uses to “prove” the recognition of the restaurant is Yelp and TripAdvisor user reviews.
Oddly enough, Tavola co-owner Jon Paul Pirraglia also first read about the lawsuit on the internet.
“We got a letter back in January or so saying that they had the words ‘a tavola’ trademarked and that we’re 50 miles away and people may get the two confused. And we basically had our attorney respond with some evidence that that wasn’t the case,” he says.
After the two parties went back and forth “once or twice,” Pirraglia says they didn’t hear anything else and figured it had been swept under the rug … until he read about the lawsuit.
“When this came, it was disappointing because there are many other Tavolas around, or some sort of use of the word tavola. We all seem to work together,” Pirraglia continues, pointing out that their Tavola Italian Kitchen trademark is still pending (it hasn’t been rejected yet, just assigned to re-review), as are three other variations of the word.
Among other complaints, the lawsuit claims that people might confuse Tavola Italian Kitchen along the Novato freeway with Coppola’s $30 million Wine Country winery and restaurant (which is named Rustic and offers “a tavola” service). The lawsuit claims that the freeway proximity is even worse because it’s the “corridor used by tourists driving to visit [Coppola’s] winery and restaurants.”
Pirraglia says not one person has called or come to his restaurant looking for Coppola’s restaurant.
“We really believe that there’s no real conflict between us and what the Coppola family is doing. We don’t think it’s harming them in any way.”
He says they did their research prior to opening last year, but didn’t think there would be any conflict with Coppola’s restaurant … because you know, it’s named Rustic, not Tavola Italian Kitchen. Pirraglia is still sorting out his options surrounding the lawsuit, and is unsure of his next steps, but even without the lawsuit, he’s busy trying to make ends meet.
“Novato is a tough market in general,” he says. “And it’s been a tough road to begin with.”
Now he’s got to deal with the wrath of the high-powered Coppola camp. Stay tuned for how the lawsuit comes to fruition and if it goes to a jury trial.
For now, let’s hearken back to an interview that Coppola gave not too long ago. Here’s what he had to say about money and trademarking:
Don’t worry about whether it’s appropriate to borrow or to take or do something like someone you admire because that’s only the first step and you have to take the first step … This idea of Metallica or some rock n’ roll singer being rich, that’s not necessarily going to happen anymore. Because, as we enter into a new age, maybe art will be free. Maybe the students are right. They should be able to download music and movies. I’m going to be shot for saying this. But who said art has to cost money? And therefore, who says artists have to make money?
· Previously: Francis Ford Coppola is suing Marin’s Tavola because he owns an Italian phrase [Inside Scoop]
Tavola Italian Kitchen: 5800 Nave Drive (in the Hamilton Marketplace), Novato; (415) 883-6686 or tavolaitaliankitchen.com.