Pizza War Continues, With Dispute Over 'Famous Artichoke' Name

The owners of Famous Artichoke say they still plan on coming to Hoboken, despite an allegation by their former boss that they stole the name and recipes from the popular Manhattan pizza chain, Artichoke Pizza. 

Emad Youssef, 27, and Khalf Ibrahim, 28, both denied stealing the chain's name in an interview with Patch Wednesday.

"His name is Artichoke, our name is Famous Artichoke," said Ibrahim, "it’s totally different."

The logo Youssef and Ibrahim used on the poster in the store's window is an artichoke, similar to the logo of Artichoke Pizza in New York. 

"He said I stole the name," Youssef said about his former boss. "He has no proof of that."

When asked why they decided to use the word "artichoke" at all, the two answered that their signature slice will have artichoke sauce and artichoke toppings. They said they're also planning to serve margarita pizza and meatball pizza. No pepperoni, though.

Youssef and Ibrahim—both orginally from Egypt and in the U.S. since, respectively, 2005 and 2006—left Artichoke in New York about a month ago. Youssef worked there for seven years, he said.

They also denied taking the recipe from Artichoke. 

"I worked in a pizza place for like seven years," Youssef said. "I could find out any recipe in New York City."

The two live in Jersey City Heights and said they signed the lease to 207 Washington St. about a month ago.

Frances Garcia, one of the owners of Artichoke in New York, said on Tuesday that he will sue his two former employees. Garcia said that he previously won a lawsuit when people tried to imitate his store in North Carolina. That store was shut down, Garcia said.

It's still unclear when the store opens, but Youssef said he wants to open "soon."