Restaurant Mogul Faces $2 Million Lawsuit Amid Founder Dispute
Translated & summarized from Ice by baba
Minority shareholder Assaf Aral is suing controlling partners Shlomi Afriat and Ido Nahmani for 8 million shekels in a dispute over their Tel Aviv restaurant group, including "La Shuk." Aral claims he was systematically pushed out and seeks a court-appointed valuation and buyout. The controlling partners deny the allegations, accusing Aral of abandoning his duties and exploiting business opportunities. The case will be decided in court.
The story in 5 lines · by baba
- Assaf Aral is suing restaurant partners Shlomi Afriat and Ido Nahmani for 8 million shekels.
- Aral alleges systematic exclusion and financial damage from his partners.
- The controlling partners deny Aral's claims and accuse him of abandonment.
- Aral seeks a court-appointed valuation and a buyout of his shares.
- The dispute involves popular Tel Aviv restaurants like "La Shuk" and "A-La Bar."
A bitter legal battle is unfolding within the prominent Tel Aviv restaurant group behind successful brands like "La Shuk," "A-La Bar," "Cafe Coco," and "Cafe 38." Businessman Assaf Aral, a minority shareholder, has filed a lawsuit for 8 million shekels (approximately $2 million) against the controlling shareholders, Shlomi Afriat and Ido Nahmani.
Aral is demanding that the court appoint an independent expert to re-evaluate the companies' worth and compel his partners to buy out his stake. This legal action follows failed attempts at an amicable resolution and a lengthy mediation process.
The plaintiff alleges that Afriat and Nahmani have systematically worked to sideline him and strip him of influence in the businesses he helped establish. According to the lawsuit, the partners made unilateral management decisions that benefited them personally, damaged Aral's standing with employees, and eroded his salary. Aral claims the breaking point came when, during his paternity leave, he discovered his partners were pushing him out of what he considers his life's work, leading him to decide not to return to daily operations.
Reports indicate that Aral received approximately 1.2 million shekels in dividends between 2022 and 2024. However, following the dispute's escalation in 2025, these payments were drastically reduced to a mere 39,000 shekels. Aral also expressed concern that the controlling shareholders might divert funds through mechanisms such as increasing rent on properties owned by Afriat, inflating management fees, and withdrawing cash.
Conversely, Afriat and Nahmani vehemently deny all allegations. Their attorney, Raz Ben Dor, sent a sharp response to Aral's lawyers, asserting that Aral abandoned his responsibilities, disappeared from operations, and refused to participate in management. The defendants further accuse Aral of exploiting the group's business opportunities for a new restaurant venture, stealing trade secrets, and making unrealistic financial demands.
The future of this Dizengoff Street restaurant empire now rests with the court.
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