A restaurant in London's Chinatown, once dubbed the rudest in London, has been fined more than £40,000 after rats and cockroaches were found in the kitchen.
Wong Kei, which has operated on Wardour Street for decades and was “once famous for its impersonal service,” as the Chinatown online guide puts it, is accused of violating food hygiene laws and forging documents on the part of its owner. was discovered and was indicted.
The restaurant enjoyed legendary status among London's nightlife crowds in the 1980s and 1990s, with “suddenly attentive customers, arguments between staff, and occasional… There were reports of staff members physically fighting with customers while serving customers. Grace Dent, food critic for the Guardian.
Dent wrote in 2020 that Wong Kay was one of the first restaurants to return after the pandemic lockdown ended. of folklore in the capital. ”
The business was renovated in 2014 and under new ownership, with a focus on changing the atmosphere, if not the menu.
A visit to the local council's environmental health team in 2022 found rats, cockroaches, mixing of raw and cooked food and other poor hygiene practices. The city council provided Mr Wong Kay with a notice to improve hygiene.
In response, the company informed Westminster City Council that it had made a number of changes and that director Daniel Lueck was resigning. However, a re-inspection in May 2023 found that no changes had been made by the council and that Mr Luc had “overall control” of the new owner, Gorthing.
Gorthing pleaded guilty at Westminster Magistrates Court earlier this month to failing to comply with food safety and hygiene regulations and was ordered to pay £31,503 in fines and costs. Mr Luc also pleaded guilty and was fined £10,803.
Both parties pleaded guilty to a total of 11 violations of the Food Sanitation Act.
In July this year, Wong Kei received a food hygiene rating of 2 out of 5, meaning “some improvement required” during its latest inspection, and a re-inspection this month found that “most of the unsanitary issues have been addressed”. It turned out that there is. -compliance”.
The business is currently classified as C risk for not fully complying with health and safety regulations, meaning inspectors will re-inspect it every 18 months.
Councilor Aicja Leth, deputy leader of the council, said the fines “demonstrate Westminster Council remains committed to ensuring the safety and protection of consumers who enjoy a wide variety of food in the borough.” ” he said.
Mr. Leth continued, “It makes sense to ensure that companies that invest in compliance have a chance to prosper, and that companies that put others at risk of harm are held accountable for their failures and unscrupulous behavior. '' he added.
Mr. Wong Kei has been contacted for comment.
