Filthy Brighton sushi bar faces court over Food Act breaches

A SUSHI bar in an affluent Bayside suburb has been hit with 66 food safety charges, including cockroaches allegedly found in food, a court heard this morning.

Isuki Sushi Bar Dendy Plaza is being prosecuted over a filthy shop. Photo taken on the 20th of January, 2016. Picture: Christopher Chan.

A BRIGHTON sushi bar has been hit with 66 food safety charges, after inspectors found a cockroach in food, filthy food preparation areas and poor handwashing facilties, a court heard this morning.

Isuki and its director Sara Nguyen appeared in Moorabbin Magistrates’ Court, each facing 33 charges of breaching food safety regulations.

The sushi bar is in the Dendy Plaza complex in Church St, and open for business today.

The case was adjourned; as yet more charges are being investigated, until next month.

These charges stem from a series of Bayside Council raids between February and April last year.

Documents tendered to the court allege Isuki staff did not handle food properly, did not prevent pest infestation, did not provide hygienic conditions for food preparation, stored food in contaminated ways, and failed to maintain clean surfaces and floors.

There are also allegations the business was not properly registered, that staff were not correctly trained in food safety matters, and handwashing facilities were not up to scratch.

The same charges were also levelled at 36-year-old Ms Nyugen, who lives in Richmond.

“You did fail to maintain (the kitchen) to a standard of cleanliness where there was no accumulation of garbage, food waste, dirt, grease or other visible matter,” court documents stated.

The court heard one of the most serious breaches involved a cockroach being discovered in flour.

There were ongoing issues with cleanliness, the court heard.

Magistrate Rodney Crisp adjourned the case until February 23.