Full 1/5 food hygiene report on Sujoy Tandoori, Chorleywood

Sujoy Tandoori in Main Parade, Whitelands Avenue, Chorleywood, has been told major improvement is necessary and it was given a score of 1/5 after its June 11 inspection.

The Watford Observer can now reveal the extent of the problems unearthed after the council released the full food hygiene report on Tuesday, September 5.

Update: Sujoy Tandoori was inspected again on November 28 and was awarded a 5/5 hygiene rating. Sometime later the new rating was published on the website ratings.food.gov.uk

Sujoy Tandoori (Image: Google Street View)

The inspector documented how they witnessed one of the chef’s mix raw meat with his hands and then rinse his hands without soap.

Later, another member of staff was seen reheating rice and put food in containers without washing his hands.

The inspector called for all staff to regularly wash their hands with soap, hot water, and use paper towels to dry.

In addition, a chef was seen cutting ready to eat salad items on the same chopping board that was used to prepare raw meat.

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The restaurant has been told that separate chopping boards must always be used for raw meat and ready to eat salad food.

Rice was only found to have been reheated in the microwave to 69C, when all food must be at a temperature of 75C.

The inspector saw that only one sink was available, which was being used to wash food and equipment. It is also placed next to the raw meat preparation area.

Staff have been told they must disinfect the sink between ease use using a two-stage cleaning process to avoid cross contamination.   

When chefs were asked for the bottle of disinfectant it could not be found and when it was it was described by the inspector as “full and spotlessly clean”.

The report revealed that neither chef could tell the inspector how to use the disinfectant.

For the detergent and soap that was visible the assessor did not believe it was being used.

New and appropriate cleaning cloths must be introduced to the eatery after the ones found being used during the inspection were tea towels or “dirty scouring pads”.

All staff have been told they must attend Level 2 Food Hygiene Training.

The restaurant’s owner Nanu Dey said that he had also been given a list of improvements to make, which have apparently been acted on, and he is awaiting confirmation of a reinspection date.

“I have done everything they mentioned to me and I have said ‘please return’,” he added.

Update: Sujoy Tandoori was inspected again on November 28 and was awarded a 5/5 hygiene rating. Sometime later the new rating was published on the website ratings.food.gov.uk