The very public falling out between chef Gordon Ramsay and his father-in-law and former business partner Chris Hutcheson appears to be heading to the courts, according to the Daily Mail.
Hutcheson, 62, worked as CEO for Gordon Ramsay Holdings (GRH), the corporate entity that oversees Ramsay's world-renowned restaurants in Europe, Asia, the Middle East, Australia and North America, for 12 years before he was unceremoniously sacked on October 16.
Ramsay initially refused to comment publicly on what he described as a "private family matter". But, after being sacked, Hutcheson described his son-in-law as "a monster' and was reported as saying that 'I know where Gordon's bodies are buried".
This prompted the former Rangers footballer to issue a scathing open letter to the Evening Standard in which he called Hutcheson "a dictator" and claimed that when he told staff his father-in-law was going, "you could see the relief and joy in their faces".
Hutcheson still owns a 29% stake in GRH, but the Mail says he is now preparing to sue the company to recover £2 million in damages for "unfair dismissal".
This seems unlikely, however, given the maximum compensation for unfair dismissal is currently capped at £76,700.
More likely, Hutcheson is considering a claim for wrongful dismissal because there is no limit on the amount of damages a civil court can award for this.
To learn more about the differences between unfair dismissal and wrongful dismissal, read: Can I claim both unfair dismissal and wrongful dismissal? What's the difference?
Links:
- Gordon Ramsay's family feud continues as father-in-law sues for £2 million (Daily Mail)
- Wrongful dismissal law (Findlaw.co.uk)
- Unfair dismissal law (Findlaw.co.uk)
- Employment law Q&A (Community)
- Find an employment solicitor (Contact Law)
