A chef is locked in a bitter £6 million fight with his elderly mother over who founded their family-run restaurant voted Britain's top takeaway.
Thai Metro, near the British Museum in central London, was named Britain's most-loved takeaway in 2017 which allowed the family to open a second and build a multimillion pound property portfolio.
The business is now at the centre of a bitter row between Ekkachi Somboonsam, 50, and his 76-year-old mum Vanida Walker.
Mrs Walker claims her son was always “just an employee”, dismissing claims he founded the restaurant in Charlotte Street, Fitzrovia, which opened its doors in 2000.
Meanwhile Mr Somboonsam claims the restaurant business was his from the start and that his mum only "occasionally helped out."
Mrs Walker’s barrister Timothy Cowen told the High Court: “Mrs Walker's case is she invested the money and took the lease in her own name because this was her business.
"Mr Somboonsam was employed in the business with front of house duties and to assist with paperwork."
"She claims the businesses are hers and that Mr Somboonsam worked for her."
But for Mr Somboonsam, barrister Robert Strang insisted his client was "the founder and the owner of the business."
He added the shares in the business were put into his mum's name because Mr Somboonsam was separated from his first wife and wanted to prevent her making a claim.
He told the court: “He says that Mrs Walker agreed to hold the shares on his behalf and that this was consistent with their common understanding that he was the owner of the Thai Metro restaurant business.
"Mr Somboonsam says he is and always was the beneficial owner and this was agreed and understood by Mrs Walker when he incorporated the business.
"With her agreement, he made Mrs Walker the legal owner...so that his wife, from whom he was separated, would not seek to claim a share in his business.
"Mrs Walker agreed to hold the shares on trust, with the common understanding that the restaurant business belonged to Mr Somboonsam.
“He was the founder and the owner of the business," he added.
Mother and son are also arguing about four valuable properties - a £1m-plus flat in Bloomsbury Mansions, the Charlotte Street property where Thai Metro operates, and two premises in Rotherhithe and Canning Town.
The Thai Metro restaurant was set up 23 years ago and went on to become a major success, scooping the "Britain's Most-Loved Takeaway" award due to its five-star ratings and "unprecedented return rate."
Among its most popular dishes are its £10.80 pineapple fried rice and £10.20 drunken fried rice, which Mr Somboonsam has previously called a "great hangover cure."
Speaking after receiving the 2017 award, following a competition organised by online delivery company Hungryhouse, Mr Somboonsam said: “Before I started the business, I thought Thai food was unnecessarily overpriced.
"So we have tried to keep our prices as low as possible. We rely on repeat customers and if we can keep our prices down, people will keep coming back.
“It’s the food that I’ve grown up with and it’s lovely to be acknowledged. It means a lot that people are giving us great feedback and to know that we are doing something right.
“We are a family-owned business, so to receive both this recognition and exposure is an unbelievable honour.
“We pride ourselves on serving up delicious Thai cuisine at good value, all made with high quality ingredients.”
Following an eight-day trial the judge will give his ruling on the case at a later date.
