Would you like roaches with that? Asian restaurant fined $22k

The owner of a popular Sunnybank restaurant has been fined after Council food inspectors found cockroaches there.

Cao-Nhan Che (inset) was ordered to pay a $22,000 fine after inspectors found cockroaches in his Sunnybank restaurant.

The owner of a popular southside restaurant in the heart of Brisbane’s unofficial Chinatown has been ordered to pay a $22,000 fine after Council food inspectors found cockroaches there.

Cao-Nhan Che, owner of Happy Bowl Vietnamese Kitchen in Sunnybank Plaza shopping centre, faced Holland Park Magistrates Court today.

Che and his company were each charged with nine offences under Council’s food laws.

Magistrate Simon Young said some of the offences were trivial, but the discovery of live and dead cockroaches, cockroach faeces and egg sacks were far more serious.

“We have seen a number of matters such as this in the past 12 months,’’ Magistrate Simon Young said.

“A number of restaurants, particularly in this area, are coming before the court with similar issues.’’

Cao-Nhan Che leaves Holland Park Magistrates Court.

In October last year Good Luck Noodle at Coopers Plains and its owner were fined a total of $24,500 after Council inspectors found live cockroaches.

Brisbane City Council lawyer Michael Spencer told the court inspectors first made the stomach-churning discovery in the kitchen area of the restaurant on September 30, 2019.

Dead cockroaches and faeces were found at a follow-up inspection on February 19.

Mr Spencer said Happy Bowl had never been convicted of food breaches before but had received zero star ratings from Council in June, 2017 and also in January, 2018 when cockroaches were again found.

Another zero star rating was given in June, 2018.

Che’s lawyer said his client had taken steps to address noncompliance with Council food safety laws and suggested cockroaches may have been entering through gaps.

But Mr Young said the level of infestation “is indicative of a restaurant that has not been kept to an appropriate level of cleanliness’’.

“The cockroaches had a reason to be there, they were staying,’’ he said.

“There are clear and real public safety issues attached.

“There needs to be a warning to other owners who wish to remotely control their businesses that they cannot escape punishment.

“A higher fine than might otherwise be the case is warranted.’’

Mr Young took into account Che’s early guilty plea to all charges and his efforts to have the restaurant cleaned and fix the noncompliance issues after the first Council inspection.

However he fined Che $2000 and his company $20,000 and ordered he pay court costs and Council’s professional costs. No conviction was recorded.