Popular Birmingham Thai Restaurant Chain Ordered to Enhance Hygiene Following Inspection Failure
A well-known Birmingham restaurant chain has been mandated to improve its hygiene standards after failing a recent inspection at one of its locations. The Thai eatery, Sabai Sabai, which operates multiple venues across Birmingham and the wider West Midlands region, received a subpar rating at its Moseley branch on Woodbridge Road.
Inspection Details and Rating System
Food hygiene ratings in the UK are assessed on a scale from 1 to 5, with random inspections conducted by local authorities. These evaluations consider factors such as cleanliness, food preparation, and storage practices. On March 3, inspectors visited the Sabai Sabai Moseley venue and awarded it a score of '2'. According to the Food Standards Agency (FSA), any rating below '3' is considered a fail, and a '2' specifically indicates that improvement is necessary.
Owner's Response and Explanation
Sabai Sabai co-owner Torquil Chidwick addressed the situation, clarifying the circumstances during the inspection. He noted that the restaurant manager was on annual leave and the head chef was on scheduled days off, leaving responsibility with the sous chef. This led to several oversights, including incomplete date labelling checks and unaddressed maintenance issues in the cellar, which was due for repainting.
Chidwick emphasized that the inspection results graded hygienic food handling and management of food safety as 'generally satisfactory', with no significant risks like cross-contamination identified. The areas requiring improvement were primarily related to:
- Cleanliness and maintenance, such as damp in the cellar causing corrosion and peeling paint.
- Procedural compliance, including date labelling, delivery temperature records, and probe calibration.
- Allergen information and PPDS labelling, though Chidwick stated allergens were overstated rather than understated, posing no risk to customers.
Corrective Actions Taken
Since the inspection, Sabai Sabai has implemented comprehensive measures to address the issues. These include:
- Replacing affected equipment and repainting impacted areas in the cellar.
- Introducing a digital daily checklist system that covers critical control points like temperature logging and cleaning schedules, with instant alerts for missed tasks.
- Reinforcing staff training on allergen management, food labelling, and food safety procedures.
- Removing Knorr stock powders from recipes to simplify allergen information.
- Requesting a reinspection to demonstrate compliance with the inspector's recommendations.
Status of Other Locations
At the time of writing, Sabai Sabai's other locations in Birmingham city centre, Harborne, Solihull, and Stratford-upon-Avon all hold passing hygiene ratings. Chidwick reiterated the chain's commitment to maintaining high standards across all venues, expressing confidence in the ongoing improvements.
