Blackpool restaurant Mr Basrai's World Cuisine buffet given 0 stars for hygiene

Mr Basrai’s World Cuisine, on the corner of Talbot Road and Cookson Street, was handed zero stars for hygiene when food safety officers turned up unannounced on March 22.

They recorded over 50 violations and warned Mr Basrai that legal proceedings could be brought against him if he fails to make urgent improvements.

The full details of the inspection were not made public but the Gazette submitted a Freedom of Information request to Blackpool Council and we can now share their full report.

This is what inspectors found during their visit to Mr Basrai's World Cuisine on March 22...

Food hygiene and safety

1. Staff should use antibacterial, food-safe disinfectant / sanitiser to clean and disinfect work surfaces and equipment. Some staff were not aware of how it was to be used
2. The staff demonstrated lack of knowledge when questioned about allergens, including the head chef who did not know what Coeliac disease was until explained to him
3. The hand wash basin opposite the kitchen entrance was not provided with soap and hygienic drying facilities such as paper towels
4. Sneeze screen was cracked and covered with cling-film which was dirty and greasy
5. Raw meat next to packet pancakes, raw fish above cooked chicken, raw sausages next to cooked rice, frozen foods including nuggets left out on the side
6. Food was being stored on the floor of the kitchen where it may become contaminated
7. Cooked chicken was being stored at room temperature in the kitchen where it risked growing food poisoning bacteria
8. Failure to ensure all stored ingredients were kept in appropriate conditions to protect them contamination
9. Raw fish fillets in one of the big sinks
10. Chocolate fountain left out from the night before (still full of chocolate)
11. Ribs left out on the side uncovered
12. Yorkshire puddings stored in a dirty container
13. Chicken pieces left on a rack which was dirty and other chicken pieces left on the side uncovered
14. Cooked rice left out to cool

Cleanliness

1. Failure to provide full information about the allergens present in all of the dishes served
2. The premises was not kept in a clean manner and must be thoroughly cleaned and maintained in a clean condition
3. The back doors were dirty and should be thoroughly washed down and maintained in clean condition
4. Mould and engrained dirt on the yellow, brown, blue and green chopping boards – cross contamination issues (all to be replaced)
5. Ground-in dirt to knifes
6. Dirt to meat skewer which was on the floor under the wok-range
7. Dirty food containers stored on the floor
8. Dirt and grease on wall surfaces, flooring, wash-up room, switches and handles, seals to fridges and freezers and plug sockets throughout the kitchen
9. Dirt and grease around kitchen, including ovens, microwave, fridges, tea towels and work surface
10. All shelving in the kitchen area were dirty and greasy
11. Dirt on the wash hand basin, taps, soap and towel dispenser
12. Dirt on the equipment wash sink and taps in the pot wash area
13. Dirt, grease and food debris on the door seals of the fridge and freezers
14. The flooring in the kitchen and front cooking areas were dirty with dried on food debris and dirt
15. Dirty kitchen equipment/utensils
16. Dirt and food debris on the wooden rolling pin
17. Dirt and dried on food to the oils and sauce bottles
18. Dirt and grease on the extraction canopy units
19. Dirt and grease on equipment (front, sides and back) including the ovens and fryers
20. Grease, dirt and food debris on the Tandoori oven
21. Dirt and grease on the bins in all areas
22. Dirt and food debris on the legs of the work surfaces
23. Dirty water at the bottom of two chillers
24. Dirt on the walls and ceiling from the fans above the pizza section
25. Dirt and grease on the air-con units in all areas
26. Dirt and grease on smoke detectors
27. Dirt and grease on the wok ranges
28. Dirt and dried on food debris to the grill stations
29. Dirt on the dumpling bamboo steamers
30. Dirt on the front counters
31. Dirty and dusty ceiling and wall vents
32. Food debris and dirt on the single wall tap (also covered with dirty cling-film)
33. Dirty cleaning tubs with dirty water and dirty scourers/cloths left around the kitchen
34. Dirty yellow mop bucket and mop
35. Dirt and food debris to the drainage gulleys on the wok-ranges
36. Dirt to pot-wash wall, floor, sink and tea towels
37. Areas of the tiled flooring in the service area were cracked and covered with cardboard

What do Blackpool Council say about Mr Basrai’s?

A spokesperson for Blackpool Council said: "We visited Mr Basari’s on Wednesday to carry out a compliance check.

"Improvements have been made since we carried out the full inspection in March.

"Mr Basari has requested a re-inspection, which will take place in the next three months."

The restaurant owners were approached for comment.