THE OWNER of a new pizza takeaway hits back after receiving zero hygiene rating days after opening its doors.
Pizza Mavis owner Reza Nourani claims the September assessment was unfair due to its timing.
“They assessed us in the first week we opened, at noon, when we had a full queue of customers,” he said.
“It’s very difficult to answer all of those questions and provide the information when I’m trying to serve people and make their pizzas.”
The Peach Street takeaway failed to secure a higher rating due to the management of food safety.
Mr Nourani said he wants another inspection as soon as possible, to rectify this low rating.
This criteria includes checks to ensure that food sold or served is safe to eat, evidence that staff know about food safety, and the Food Safety Officer has confidence that standards will be maintained in the future.
He said: “I’ve been in the food catering industry for 20 years, I keep my kitchens clean. Everything is clearly dated and organised in the fridge.”
Pizza Mavis was given a ‘good’ rating for hygienic food handling and cleanliness and condition of facilities and building.
However, Mr Nourani says that he felt unsupported by Wokingham Borough Council when setting up his business.
Having taken a break from the catering industry in the last few years, Mr Nourani was after some help to refresh his food safety knowledge. He claims that he visited the Shute End offices to enquire over the relevant food health and safety forms he needed to complete, and where to find them.
Upon doing so, he said he was provided with very little information or support.
“There was no clarity about which forms and documentation I needed to complete,” he said.
He attributed this lack of support to the reason his establishment was marked with a zero. This is because the management of food safety is measured through the evidenced documentation.
As Pizza Mavis enters its second month of trading, customers have been praising the local business on social media for its “delicious and incredibly priced” pizzas, and “lovely service”.