Service! Mishcon, Macfarlanes Lead as Michelin-Starred Chef Ordered to Fork Over €11M

London’s High Court has ordered renowned Michelin-starred chef Axel Manes to pay Dutch restaurant company MAD Atelier damages of over €11.3 million.

Manes, among the youngest chefs to receive a Michelin star, had been accused of breach of contract, of lying, and of using “fraudulent business practices” to induce an MAD employee into handing over shares in the company by unwittingly signing a share transfer document, according to the judgment.

Mishcon de Reya advised MAD, instructing barristers Jasbir Dhillon QC, Stewart Chirnside and Robert Ward, according to the court document, while Manes turned to Macfarlanes. Richard Hill QC, Gregory Denton-Cox and Emma Horner acted in court.

London-based corporate partner Andrew Rimmington led the matter for Mishcon de Reya, while the Macfarlanes team was helmed by litigation partner Iain Mackie.

MAD International entered into a joint venture agreement with Manes in 2015 to develop an international franchise of restaurants under the ‘Atelier de Joel Robuchon’ brand.

As part of the agreement, shares in the French company which owned the Parisian Joel Robuchon restaurant—where Manes was executive chef—were transferred to MAD.

A year later, MAD transferred these shares to a Manes-owned company for an “undervalue” of €8.3 million, according to the judgment.

However, finding in favour of the claimant following a four week trail, Mr Justice Burton concluded that MAD “did not know about the share transfer, and did not agree to it and would not have agreed to it and is entitled to be compensated for the loss caused to it by the deceit which induced [them] to sign documents”.

The judge also found Manes had destroyed documents and transferred the legal title to the shares to a close family friend, and lied in his testimony, and awarded MAD damages to cover the €8.3 million undervalue, plus an additional €3 million for loss of profits.

Mishcon’s Andrew Rimmington, who led for MAD, said: “Our client feels vindicated by the decision and is pleased to see that the English courts undertake a thorough and detailed review of all the evidence and punish those individuals who seek to use fraudulent business practices for their own financial gain.”