London - Gordon Ramsay scored a victory over his father-in-law on Thursday when the High Court threw out a demand to shut down the celebrity chef’s global empire.
Christopher Hutcheson had reignited the war with Ramsay by lodging a petition to “wind up” Gordon Ramsay Holdings, which owns his restaurants and media ventures.
But a judge rejected the bid as a possible stunt designed to put “undue pressure” on Ramsay.
Hutcheson has been chasing his son-in-law for £600,000, part of a reported £2-million truce settlement to end the two-year war that has torn apart their family and business.
Ramsay claims there are “valid reasons” why the money was not been paid.
His lawyers told the court the winding-up petition was a “malicious” move by Hutcheson.
A judge is understood to have ruled he suspected Hutcheson’s claim was an “improper” ruse to put public pressure on Ramsay to pay up. The petition was thrown out, and it is understood the pair have made a fresh pact to settle their differences.
Ramsay, 46, and Hutcheson, 63, fell out in 2010 when the chef sacked his father-in-law as chief executive of his empire. He accused him of hacking into private emails and plundering £1.4-million to finance his womanising.
Ramsay’s wife Tana, 38, took her husband’s side and is estranged from her parents. - Daily Mail