Kenji restaurant fined $25,000 for food breaches
The popular Japanese Gourmet Kenji Restaurant at 10/1407 Toorak Rd in Camberwell has been fined for a series of food breaches.
It’s the second time in less than four years that the venue has found itself in trouble for serious breaches of the Food Act.
The restaurant was taken to court by Boroondara Council.
The council was saying little about the case.
But a council statement said that 12 charges had been laid on the restaurant.
According to the statement, the charges related to “unclean and unsanitary” equipment, and “unsafe” food handling practices.
The venue would have got in trouble when the council sent out its inspectors.
As a result, the company and the director were fined $20,000 and $5000 respectively.
Also, a conviction was recorded which means it is now a mark against the venue for at least the next 12 months.
Adding to the fines was the court order that Kenji pays the council’s legal costs of $4600.
According to Boroondara Mayor Phillip Healey, the eatery already had a track record for food breaches.
He said it had been found guilty of similar offenses in 2014. This might perhaps explain why the council was prepared to send out its inspectors again.
Cr Healey said the magistrate’s decision was important as it sent a strong and clear message that unsafe food practices would not be tolerated anywhere.
“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,” Cr Healey told the Herald Sun.
“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.”
As is standard, the court findings will now appear on the Department of Health and Human Services ‘Register of Convictions’ website.
The court ruling will be there for 12 months.
by Leon Gettler, October 12th 2017
