Chester restaurant and company director fined following serious food hygiene breaches

A Chester restaurant and a company director have been fined after pleading guilty to multiple food safety offences, following an investigation and prosecution by Cheshire West and Chester Council’s Public Protection and legal teams.

The case was heard at West Cheshire Magistrates Court, where The Biriyani Mama – Chester Limited pleaded guilty to all offences. The company was fined £14,600 and ordered to pay costs of £1,190, with two months to pay.

A company director, Nikita Menon (37), also pleaded guilty to all offences and was fined £320, ordered to pay a victim surcharge of £128 and costs of £1,190, with two months to pay.

Environmental Health Officers first inspected the restaurant, located on City Road in Chester, on 19th February 2025, shortly after it was registered as a new food business.

The inspection found the premises to be dirty throughout, with significant pest activity, including rats present in areas where open food was stored, alongside poor structural standards and inadequate cleaning practices.

Officers identified conditions that presented a real risk to public health, including poor kitchen hygiene, unsafe food storage, inadequate temperature control, evidence of rodent activity and unsatisfactory refuse storage outside the premises.

Due to the seriousness of the conditions, officers were satisfied that an imminent health risk existed, and the business was closed with immediate effect.

Officers revisited the premises on 21st February 2025, where some improvement was noted. However, ongoing evidence of rodent activity remained, and permission to re‑open was refused.

A further inspection on 22nd February 2025 found standards had improved sufficiently for the premises to re‑open.

At an interview under caution on 3rd April 2025, the manager, Mr Pranav Mekala, accepted that the premises fell below legal food safety standards; had inadequate hygiene, cleaning, food storage, pest control and structural conditions; and were under limited oversight by the company’s directors.

Despite assurances that improvements had been made, a second full food hygiene inspection on 30th April 2025 found standards had deteriorated again, including mouldy food, unsafe food temperatures, grease build‑up, poor cleaning, and structural concerns in the cellar that continued to pose pest risks.

In total, eight separate offences were charged.

The Council’s Cabinet Member for Community Safety and Neighbourhood Pride, Councillor Stuart Bingham said:

“Food safety is not optional. The serious and repeated failings uncovered in this case fell well below the legal standards the public has a right to expect. The presence of pests and unsafe food handling practices created an unacceptable risk.

“Our Public Protection teams work with businesses to help them comply, but where standards remain poor or warnings are ignored, we will take decisive enforcement action. Protecting public health will always be our priority.”

Pictured - A bluebottle in a food container.