$1M end to Chow versus Chow

The curious case of Chow versus Chow came to a kung-pow ending in a Florida court yesterday, and the winner was . . . Chow. Michael Chow, founder of Asian eatery Mr. Chow, filed a $20 million trademark infringement case in Miami against rival Philippe Chow in 2009, after chef Philippe Chow, who had worked at Mr. Chow for more than 25 years, opened Philippe with Stratis Morfogen in 2005. Michael Chow claimed Philippe Chow and Morfogen ripped off his recipes and engaged in “deceptive marketing and advertising to mislead consumers.” After the Miami federal court battle ended yesterday with a $1 million judgment against Philippe, b
oth sides claimed victory. Lawyers for Philippe said 15 of the 16 decisions of trademark infringement and deceptive practices against them had been cleared. And Philippe can keep running his restaurants under the same name. “It’s like being tried for murder but only being found guilty of jaywalking,” said Morfogen. Meanwhile, Michael Chow’s lawyer, Bert Fields, said his client had won $1 million in damages after Philippe was found guilty of false advertising and unfair competition by deceptive conduct. Fields told us: “For him to say he won when the only damages are his side . . . that’s just more false advertising.” Philippe plans to appeal the judgment. Fields wants to file an injunction to prevent Philippe from “further deceptive practices.”