Donald Trump sued Jose Andres‘ organization Friday for breach of contract after the celebrity chef canceled his plans to open a restaurant in a massive building the Trump group is renovating in Washington in the wake of the billionaire businessman’s immigration comments.

Mr. Trump’s lawyers said Mr. Andres shouldn’t have been surprised by his statements, saying his “publicly shared views on immigration have remained consistent for many years, and Mr. Trump’s willingness to frankly share his opinions is widely known.”

Mr. Andres pulled out of the Trump International Hotel project after Mr. Trump said Mexican society sends some of its worst elements to the U.S. in the form of criminal immigrants.

The remarks drew condemnation from Hispanic rights groups and a number of Mr. Trump’s fellow GOP presidential candidates, but the businessman stuck by his statements.

Under pressure from Hispanic advocates, a number of Mr. Trump’s partners severed business ties, and Mr. Andres was one of them, telling The Washington Post it was “impossible” now to work with the businessman-candidate.

But in the lawsuit, the Trump lawyers say Mr. Andres had previously praised Mr. Trump and said in January that he was “proud” to be working with him.

The Trump lawyers said there was no basis to break the 10-year lease, under which Mr. Andres was to open a flagship restaurant in the Old Post Office building that Mr. Trump is renovating.

Mr. Andres‘ ThinkFoodGroup LLC didn’t immediately return a call for comment Friday afternoon.

Mr. Trump is seeking damages in excess of $10 million, plus lawyers’ costs.

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