Chef in court on murder charge after colleague stabbed in row at Soho restaurant

A 60-year-old man has appeared in court charged with the murder of his colleague in an apparent row over food preparation at a central London restaurant.

Li Hunan, 60, allegedly stabbed 58-year-old Li Sung at Arirang Korean restaurant on Poland Street in Soho on Monday morning.

The two men had argued about the way the victim was preparing food, with the defendant querying his skill as a chef, the Old Bailey heard on Friday.

It is claimed the defendant used a knife he was chopping with to swing out at the victim.

Police were called at 11.40am and found Mr Sung collapsed in the restaurant kitchen.

The 58-year-old, from Southwark, south London, was pronounced dead at the scene at 12.20pm.

• video report from the scene by Vincent McAviney

A post-mortem examination found a preliminary cause of death was sharp force trauma to the chest.

The victim had suffered two fatal stab wounds to the chest as well as slash wounds, including one to the face.

The defendant, who is believed to be a Chinese national, was assisted in the dock by a Korean interpreter on Friday.

Judge Philip Katz set a timetable for the case with a plea hearing on 4 November.

The defendant, of no fixed address, was remanded into custody.

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