Ikhwan Catering fined over health, hygiene breach at Chatswood food market

A food stall at Chatswood’s popular international food market has been fined over food health and safety breaches following a visit by council food inspectors.

A food stall that brings the flavours of Malaysia to the Chatswood food markets is the latest venue in the CBD to be fined over food safety and hygiene breaches.

Ikhwan Catering has been issued two infringement notices by Willoughby Council after inspectors discovered food safety breaches on June 18.

The inspection resulted in the venue being issued with $880 in fines for two offences including food stored out of temperature control and using hand washing facilities to clean food utensils.

The council said the stall, which operates at the international food markets, had potentially hazardous food in hot hold equipment that was not above 60 degrees, out of temperature control.

Ikhwan Catering at Chatswood.

The council said the visit by inspectors was a follow-up inspection after Ikhwan Catering had received a previous warning for the same breach of safety standards.

Stall owner Ashaari Arifin said the fine was related to a curry dish served at the time of the inspection, but measures have now been taken to avoid a repeat incident.

“When the inspector came the food was open because we were serving customers and there was a pass of wind that could have slightly lowered the temperature of the food,” he said.

“We’ve paid the fine and got new equipment – it won’t be happening again.”

The council said the inspection was part of stall holder requirements at the markets which attracts thousands of visitors each week.

A generic photo of the markets at Chatswood Mall.

A photo of the curry that was outside temperature control. Photo: Willoughby Council.

“As an initiative of council, the markets are subject to strict food hygiene guidelines and conditions which are outlined to new stallholders as part of the markets’ terms and conditions,” a spokeswoman said.

“Subsequent checks are carried out by council’s safe city unit to ensure the stallholders maintain the markets’ high standards.

“Willoughby Council takes pride in presenting a high quality food experience and looks forward to maintaining this when the markets return this Thursday.”

The fines are the latest issued to a food venue in Chatswood with figures from the NSW Food Authority showing 16 other businesses in the suburb have been issued penalties in the last 12 months.