E-rated Chinese restaurant faces 11 hygiene code charges

The Kiwi Country restaurant in the city was given an "E" grade.

An Auckland CBD Chinese restaurant is facing 11 charges for allegedly failing to meet council hygiene codes, including keeping utensils and surfaces clean.

The charges were filed against Yas Sun, operator of Kiwi Country Fast Food Restaurant on Durham St West, in Auckland District Court yesterday.

Comment: Are you into dirty dining?

Auckland Council took the case against Sun in relation to alleged food safety breaches at the restaurant, which also goes by the name of New Concept Buffet and Hot Pot, and Kiwi Country Noodle Restaurant.

The charges all relate to basic restaurant hygiene, including failing to keep utensils, surfaces and appliances clean; failing to ensure food is kept clean and free from contamination and is protected from damp and foul odours, and against birds, vermin, bees and insects; failing to ensure premises are cleaned sufficiently and regularly, and failing to cook food to appropriate temperatures. The inner-city venue was also charged with failing to train staff in food hygiene processes, failing to comply with regulations, operating without being registered with the council and without a valid certificate, and failing to ensure its food grade was prominently displayed.

Food grades must be "conspicuously displayed at the principal entrance in full and unobstructed view", according to council rules.

It currently has a food grade of E, which is the lowest rating and means it is unsatisfactory.

When NZME. News Service visited Kiwi Country Fast Food yesterday, its food grade was not immediately visible around the entrance, on the stairs leading down to the underground restaurant or on its food display.

A man who identified himself as Sun's son-in-law said he did not know anything about the charges.

Sun was in China, he said, and provided two contact numbers.

A woman who answered the phone hung up when contacted for comment.

Mervyn Chetty, manager of environmental health at Auckland Council, said it could not comment on the case because the court process was not completed.

However, he said the council "may consider prosecution of a food premise for failing to meet national food health regulations, particularly if there are multiple charges of food safety and hygiene issues and a general disregard for customers' health".

The council have laid charges against more than 30 food operators in the past year, he said.

The grades
• A: High
• B: Good
• D: Poor
• E: Unsatisfactory
• Pending: New/recently transferred ownership

How they're assessed

• Premises are inspected against a list of criteria and given one of four grades: A, B, D or E. There is no C grade as all food premises are either above or below average food safety standards.

• Grading assessments are scored based on the Food Hygiene Regulations 1974, the Auckland Council Food Safety Bylaw, and best food hygiene practice.

• For each assessment an environmental health officer will inspect the premises, examining: the standard of the premises, the conduct and maintenance of the premises, process control, cleaning and sanitising, staff training.

• Food premises with a high food grading pay less in registration fees.

• Businesses must display a certificate that shows their grade.

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