The Heston Blumenthal restaurant empire could be at risk after its parent firm was hit with a winding-up petition by HM Revenue and Customs.
Michelin-starred outlets set up and run by the celebrity chef, including the Fat Duck in Bray, Berkshire, face new uncertainty - with 130 staff at risk of losing their jobs.
It comes after HMRC issued a winding-up petition against the firm SL6 Ltd, which most recently posted losses of more than £2million in 2024 - up from almost £1.4million in 2023.
The TV chef became famous on the back of his inventive creations at the luxury restaurant in Bray, but in recent years it had accumulated heavy debts.
The taxman has filed a winding-up petition against parent company SL 6 Ltd, which is now helmed by Ronald Lowenthal, the stepbrother of Blumenthal's father.
Blumenthal sold his stake to Mr Lowenthal in 2006 and subsequently became 'chef patron', with his ventures owned by SL 6 of which Mr Lowenthal is director.
SL 6 Ltd also owns the one-Michelin-starred Hinds Head, also in Bray, and various companies previously affiliated to Blumenthal such as his TV firm Snail Porridge Ltd, Heston Blumenthal Studios Ltd and Heston Blumenthal Developments.
The company has been approached by the Daily Mail for comment.
HMRC said it could not comment on businesses due to taxpayer confidentiality law, but a spokesperson said: 'We take a supportive approach to dealing with customers who have tax debts and only file winding-up petitions once we've exhausted all other options, in order to protect taxpayers' money.'
The most recent accounts filed with Companies House in June last year revealed that SL 6's loss for 2024 was £2,055,452, up from £1,396,417 in 2023.
That was despite a turnover £8,935,755 - while administrative expenses were £8,412,371, including £2,326,148 'cost of sales'.
Mr Lowenthal's strategic report stated that costs had gone up but without being passed on to the customer.
The Fat Duck's 13-course menu, named The Journey, is priced at £350, as is the 'Topsy Turvy Thursday' 13-course menu - while the 12-course 'The Mindful Experience' is £275.
Mr Lowenthal wrote: 'The business has endured a year of tough economic conditions with inflation in all elements of the supply chain and recruitment challenges and particularly wage inflation.
'We invested in our customers by not passing the entire inflation burden onto them whilst understanding that this would affect our profitability.'
Auditors Lawfords Consulting stated the firm was a 'going concern' because, at the time, 'the management team are currently in negotiations to secure long-term funding to provide a foundation for future growth.'
Accounts suggest SL 6 was in debt to the tune of £2,707,424, including £1,674,313 owed in 'taxation and security' and a further £5,417 in corporation tax.
There was a bank overdraft of £806,091 - up from £392,435 in 2023 - which was greater than how much money the business had in the bank, £697,605.
A bank loan was also due within one year, worth £135,450; while there are two more due after a year - one for £1,517,710 and another for £1,707,160.
The number of staff working for SL 6 Ltd was 120 in the 'restaurant and bar' and 16 in 'administration', with jobs on the line as a result of this new HMRC petition.
Staff costs had risen to £4.07million in 2024, up from £3.82million the previous year.
Heston is best known for injecting creativity and innovation into his culinary creations and some of the most famous dishes he has produced at The Fat Duck.
These include snail porridge, crab ice cream and 'Sound of The Sea', a seafood dish accompanied by the sound of crashing waves and seagulls.
Blumenthal has spoken in recent years of his experiences after being sectioned following an acute manic episode in 2023.
The illness caused the father-of-three to suffer hallucinations that caused him to see phantom guns and believe the television was talking to him.
He was eventually admitted to a psychiatric hospital for three weeks, where he was diagnosed with bipolar disorder.
The London-born celebrity chef, 59, who holds a total of seven Michelin stars across his restaurants, was diagnosed after being sectioned on the insistence of his wife, French entrepreneur Melanie Ceysson.
Bipolar disorder is a brain disorder which causes unusual and often sudden changes in mood and energy levels.
The English chef and restaurateur, 59, has told how his French entrepreneur wife Melanie Ceysson (right), 38, made the brave choice to have him sectioned
He spent two weeks heavily medicated in a psychiatric hospital and a further six weeks in a clinic, where he continued with intensive treatment and practised walking meditation.
Ahead of a BBC documentary last June called Heston: My Life With Bipolar, he said: ‘I was living with undiagnosed bipolar for many years, so it’s been an extraordinary journey to get where I am today.
‘There is still a big stigma around bipolar, but it is vital to be able to talk openly about the condition.
‘I know this isn’t always easy, but I hope by sharing my experience in this documentary people will gain a greater understanding of bipolar and an insight into my life now.’