Philadelphia Restaurateur Stephen Starr to Cater Backstage VIP Area at Live 8

Philadelphia Restaurateur Stephen Starr to Cater Backstage VIP Area at Live 8

PHILADELPHIA, June 27 /PRNewswire/ -- On Saturday July 2, Stephen Starr, a former concert promoter turned restaurateur, will recreate two of his most popular restaurants, Morimoto and Buddakan, in the backstage area at Live 8 to feed the star studded line up of performers. As the exclusive caterer for this VIP section, Starr will bring the ambience of the restaurants and their award-winning menus to the all-day event.

"I'm thrilled to be a part of Live 8. It is great for this city to host such a large event and send an important message to the world," says Starr who owns 13 of the city's top restaurants and plans to open second locations of Buddakan and Morimoto in New York City this fall.

Food Network's popular "Iron Chef," Masaharu Morimoto, who Starr partnered with to create the contemporary Japanese restaurant Morimoto, will ply his highly regarded craft and offer performers his acclaimed sushi at a sushi bar created for the event. Morimoto will serve an assortment of: Spicy Tuna, California and Shrimp Tempura Maki; Maguro Sushi; Hamachi Sushi; Salmon Sushi; and Ebi Sushi.

Starr will recreate Buddakan's atmosphere with the restaurant's signature golden Buddha and communal dining table, and offer performers and VIPs a selection of the restaurant's signature dishes, including: Crispy Calamari Salad; Char Grilled Dry Aged Beef; Chicken and Ginger Dumplings; Teriyaki Grilled Salmon; and Tea Smoked Spare Ribs.

Morimoto, located at 723 Chestnut Street, has won international acclaim, including praises from Bon Appetit, New York Times, Wall Street Journal and USA Today. Buddakan, located at 325 Chestnut Street, is one of the country's most talked about restaurants and has been featured in Travel & Leisure, Food & Wine and Washington Post.

As a lifelong music and pop culture devotee, Starr got his start in the entertainment industry in his teens, when he negotiated a deal to bring Mott the Hoople to his high school for an exclusive concert. At the age of 21, he opened his first club in a diner that served food during the day and comedy at night. Next, he opened Starrs, a cabaret/restaurant that featured acts who were just starting out such as Jerry Seinfeld, Richard Belzer and Pat Benatar.

Continuing to promote live entertainment, Starr opened a larger venue, the Ripley Music Hall, which showcased new talent such as U2, the Eurythmics, Cyndi Lauper and Bruce Springsteen. Eventually he began The Concert Company, to bring large scale stadium acts to Philadelphia including Madonna, Lionel Ritchie, George Michael and others. In 1990, when Electric Factory Concerts bought him out, he used the profit to open (and later close) several new music/dining venues.

In 1995, Starr opened his ever-popular Continental Restaurant & Martini Bar and began transforming Philadelphia into one of the most exciting restaurant scenes in the country.

Source: Starr Restaurant Organization

CONTACT: Clare Pelino or Jennie Hatton of Profile Public Relations, +1-215-985-2106, http://www.profilepr.com/, for Starr Restaurant Organization

------- Profile: Ent