Fox Leisure, which owns Studios Ramsay International with chef Gordon Ramsay, is increasing its food-themed holdings with an fairness stake funding in Chain, the LA-based restaurant pop-up based by The Workplace alum B.J. Novak. The settlement encompasses a first-look improvement take care of Chain Media.
“As FOX continues to increase its dominance throughout the meals house, investing in Chain furthers our digital storytelling and content material creation technique with this deep partnership in a successful enterprise mannequin, the place viral occasions advance artistic potentialities,” stated Rob Wade, CEO of Fox Leisure. “Studio Ramsay International’s far-reaching, rising culinary empire and unmatched digital footprint, along with Chain’s outstanding, confirmed influence, will strengthen, scale and deepen our connection to meals followers in every single place.”
The Chain partnership might be managed via Studio Ramsay International. Along with the first-look deal, it can entail IP integrations via Fox’s portfolio of Gordon Ramsay collection and its Chew leisure platform, potential vertical video collection via Fox’s lately introduced stake in Holywater and advert gross sales and sponsorships alternatives along with serving to Chain increase its authentic IP and occasion portfolio and develop reside experiences tied to Fox’s present culinary properties.
Chain started as a West Hollywood parking-lot pop-up with a Michelin-starred chef cooking homages to nostalgic chain restaurant classics. In its first full 12 months of operation, the corporate had collaborations with Taco Bell, Pizza Hut, Jack within the Field, Pepsi, Dunkin’, Panda Specific, and Diageo, in addition to with Paramount Studios for Scream VI and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem. Latest companions embody Disney, McDonald’s, Pernod-Ricard, Pop-Tarts and Tabasco.
In December 2023, Chain debuted ChainFEST, a chain-food pageant, which subsequently expanded to New York. ChainFEST will return to Los Angeles for its third 12 months in Fall 2025.
“Meals continues to outline tradition — it’s how we have a good time, how we keep in mind, how we join,” Novak stated. “Nobody understands how one can flip culinary storytelling into cultural obsession like Fox Leisure and Studio Ramsay International. We’re excited to work collectively to carry Chain experiences to extra individuals.
Earlier Chain investor Join Ventures is re-investing alongside Fox within the financing spherical. Different prior Chain buyers embody Marshall Sandman’s Animal Capital, Palm Tree Crew, Ready Companions and Chrissy Teigen, who additionally serves as a strategic advisor.
Chain was based by Novak, producers and entrepreneurs Jack Davis, Abe Burns, Byron Ashley, Michelin-starred chef Timothy Hollingsworth, and Nicholas Kraft, who serves as Chief Inventive Officer.