A SON who launched a rival Chinese takeaway next door to his dad’s following a row over pay has launched an ice cream business amid a dramatic empire expansion.
Jonathan Lam has toasted the opening of Licky Lam’s next to his thriving curry house in Ballyfermot, Dublin.
And with the recent spell of warm weather, Jonathan last night told The Irish Sun he’s coining it in thanks to the glorious sunshine.
He beamed: “My ice cream shop is off to a good start, especially with the hot weather. The good weather will keep it going. I’m hoping for a good summer.
“The ice cream shop will complement the main business.
“My Chinese takeaway is still the main business — but I’m branching out!”
The fresh venture comes after The Irish Sun told how Jonathan had opened New Lam’s Chinese beside the original Lam’s Chinese fast food shop — owned by his dad Ken for over 30 years.
A “war of the takeaways” has been raging on Ballyfermot Road in west Dublin since Jonathan was let go from the family firm after asking his father for a pay rise.
The rival family businesses have been slugging it out side by side in a face-off dubbed the “Succession of Ballyfermot”.
A frenzy has raged since we broke our story, with intrigued punters forming bumper queues at the curry shops and comedians doing skits on the feud.
After getting New Lam’s off the ground, Jonathan has now opened ANOTHER business on Ballyfermot Road, with Licky Lam’s located beside his curry house.
And with Ireland recently hit with a rare Omega Block which brought a prolonged spell of spring sunshine, the newcomer businessman told The Irish Sun the parlour was off to a flyer.
Jonathan said: “I couldn’t have timed it any better really, with the weather. We’ve got gelato, soft ice cream, bubble waffles, milkshakes. They’ve all been flying out.
“It’s a small shop to add to my main takeaway business. I just wanted to branch out a bit.
“There has been a lot of interest in my takeaway and I just thought an ice cream shop would sell due to the fact of everyone eating outside and hanging around the area.
We haven’t exchanged one word. Not one word. He’s doing his thing and I’m doing my thing.”
Jonathan Lam
“I thought, ‘You know what, some ice cream and a couple of milkshakes would sell well here’.
“A lot of customers come after the dinner, after they get their Chinese. Others just drop in for an ice cream.
“It’s been very busy outside. I’m delighted with it.”
Defiant Jonathan is now dishing out 99s and curries at 284 Ballyfermot Road, alongside the original Lam’s at number 286.
Long-time Chinese takeaway supremo Ken has confirmed he let Jonathan go from the original family business after claiming his son asked for “high pay”.
INSIDE BALLYFERMOT’S ‘WAR OF TAKEAWAY’S’
A FAMILY feud turned into a public business rivalry between two of Dublin’s Chinese takeaways back in 2023.
Ken Lam has operated Lam’s Takeaway for over 30 years on Ballyfermot Road.
And his son Jonathan opened “New Lam’s” right next door after being dismissed from the family business.
In March of this year, the original Lam’s was temporarily shut down by the Food Safety Authority due to serious hygiene and pest control issues.
Ken later apologised publicly and made improvements before reopening six days later.
Both men are now expanding, with Ken developing a sit-down restaurant and Jonathan opening an ice cream parlour on the Ballyfermot road.
Ken, 68, has questioned his lad’s “dignity” in opening a rival business bearing the family name right next door to him, branding it “disappointing” and “awkward”.
But Jonathan, 41, maintains setting up shop beside his takeaway veteran dad Ken is “not revenge” and insists moving to a new location away from Ballyfermot was never an option with his roots in the west Dublin suburb.
The simmering dispute has led to a silence of the Lams — with the pair not talking to each other.
ICE COLD
And despite Jonathan last night admitting to regularly seeing his dad walk by, he confirmed relations remain ice cold.
Jonathan told us: “I see him all the time, he’s only next door.
“But we haven’t exchanged one word. Not one word. He’s doing his thing and I’m doing my thing. I have to look after myself.”
Dad Ken previously dismissed his son’s efforts, claiming “he just answered the phone”.
He told The Irish Sun: “My son worked for me, I know what he is like.
“Do you understand me? I know what he is like so I don’t worry.
“He asked for more money and (he was) not doing the work.
“He just answered phone. That’s all, nothing else. He don’t want to work, he just want to talk.”
NIGHT OFF CARNAGE
Jonathan previously admitted that taking a night off from the Chinese fast food spot once “really killed him”.
A fresh war of words erupted after cheeky veteran curry flogger Ken pounced to mop up all his son’s trade when generous Jonathan closed New Lam’s for a night to give his workers “a well-deserved break”.
Quick-thinking Ken’s original Lam’s immediately launched an online advertising drive in a bid to capitalise on his son’s one-night shutdown, telling punters in a spicy message: “Lots of other takeaways are closed but not us.”
But despite admitting sacrificing trade to his dad for the day “killed him”, Jonathan insisted he may have lost out to his old man for one night but vowed to win the war.
Jonathan told The Irish Sun: “It really killed me to close the shop for one night but I know my quality, my prices, my dedication and my team will not be beaten.”
He added: “I would say closing for the night shows how confident I am in my own ability and the ability of the staff.
“The people here in Ballyfermot know I have been here every day since New Lam’s opened.
“They’ve supported me all the way and we are number one for taste.”
