Japanese Gourmet Kenji restaurant fined $25,000 for multiple Food Act breaches
A CAMBERWELL Japanese restaurant has been named and shamed after it was busted for the second time in four years for serious food safety breaches — including using dirty equipment.
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FOR the second time in four years, a Japanese restaurant in Camberwell has been found guilty of serious Food Act breaches.
Boroondara Council successfully prosecuted the restaurant at a Melbourne Magistrates Court hearing recently.
The Japanese Gourmet Kenji Restaurant at 10/1407 Toorak Rd is currently open for business.
The council did not release details of the breaches that were recorded in August 2016, but in a statement said the 12 charges were laid in relation to “unclean and unsanitary” equipment, and “unsafe” food handling practices.
The company and the director were fined $20,000 and $5000 respectively, and a conviction was recorded.
Boroondara Mayor Phillip Healey said the eatery had previously been found guilty of similar offences in 2014.
Cr Healey said the magistrate’s decision sent a strong message that unsafe food practices would not be tolerated.
“We expect all food traders to adhere to food safety laws and regulations, and putting the health and safety of the community at risk is, quite simply, unacceptable,” he said.
“Council takes these matters extremely seriously and we will continue to take action against any businesses which fail to meet the food safety standards as required by law.”
They were also ordered to pay the council’s legal costs of $4600.
The court findings will appear on the Department of Health and Human Services ‘Register of Convictions’ website, where they will remain for 12 months
Lawyer for the restaurant Luke Primon said the eatery “is now and has been for the last 12 months completely compliant” and that the owner made changes as soon as the issues were brought to his attention.
Mr Primon said to the knowledge of the restaurant, no patron had ever fallen ill as a result of the food and that the infringements mostly related to “a build up on the floor and minor issues such as using a dishwasher sink to wash hands between food preparation”.
“There was never any threat to any patrons’ health,” he said.