James Martin named and shamed after food hygiene inspection

James Martin, presenter of Saturday Kitchen on BBC1, has been "named and shamed" after a food inspection at his Winchester delicatessen.

Martin, former head chef at Winchester Hotel du Vin, was embarrassed when city council officials visited the shop, Cadogan and James, which he co-owns.

The council said the inspection on 22 July showed several failings and the shop was branded "unsatisfactory" on its safe2eat website.

The failings were: no food safety management system; preparation surfaces were grooved, so were unable to be kept clean to an acceptable standard; mould in the chiller cabinet; no stock rotation system for the cooked meats and poor hand hygiene.

Martin said he acted on the findings by ordering new bespoke fridges with stainless steel surfaces, and putting staff on intensive health and safety courses.

He said: "I do believe, and I always have, that the shop meets the high standards of food hygiene.

"I have been in the industry for 20 years and I have had the delicatessen for many of those years. This is not a fly-by-night thing.

"Certain members of staff have received disciplinary action. They have basic food hygiene training, and I am now sending them on advanced food hygiene training courses.

"The shop has always had a cleaning and rotation rota. There was a lapse, and I apologise for that."

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By Andrew Millington

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