Westfield Knox restaurant Paesano’s owners convicted over dodgy food safety
A popular and longstanding restaurant at Knox Ozone mysteriously closed earlier this year. Find out why.
Outer East
Don't miss out on the headlines from Outer East. Followed categories will be added to My News.
Doors to a popular Knox Ozone restaurant will remain closed after the owners were fined $50,000 and convicted over a swag of food safety charges.
Paesano, one of the outdoor food court’s original restaurants, quietly closed in May after
Knox Council slapped the restaurants’ two directors with 12 charges.
Those charges, related to dates at the restaurant between December 17, 2018 to January 25, 2019.
In documents seen by Knox Leader, the pair failed to eradicate pests, maintain adequate hand washing facilities, store potentially hazardous food under temperature control, store food to protect from the likelihood of contamination, maintain the premises in a good state of repair and comply with an order from the council.
They were also convicted of not keeping the premises, equipment and surfaces clean.
Judge David Starvaggi fined each director $25,000 with conviction and both were ordered to pay $271.40.
According to the council, the former directors told the court the company had gone into liquidation and they were bankrupt.
However, the pair are still involved in another food business.
Judge Starvaggi told the court, while they might have been bankrupt, they still had an obligation to provide safe food.
Mayor Nicole Seymour said the council had attempted to get the directors to co-operate for a long period before the restaurant’s closure and prosecution of the owners.
MORE NEWS: SPORTS BAR GIANT TO OPEN IN KNOX OZONE
WHAT SHOPPERS CAN EXPECT INSIDE REVAMPED WESTFIELD KNOX
MAN BUYS WHISKY WITH ALLEGEDLY STOLEN CARD, WITH DOG IN TOW
“The safety of residents and visitors to Knox is paramount and we monitor and prosecute food safety risks under the Food Act to ensure everyone has the opportunity to enjoy dining out in Knox, free of any concern for their health,” Cr Seymour said.
“The council always aims to work with our local business to achieve compliance and promote best practice.”
She said the prosecution was an example of the serious consequences when businesses fail to co-operate and put their customers and the community at risk.