Chesham: Abra Kebab Ra given zero food hygiene rating after illness

Abra Kebab Ra, a takeaway kebab shop on Broad Street in Chesham, was judged to require urgent improvement when it received a zero out of five food hygiene rating in an inspection dated November 10, 2023.

A routine inspection had been due in February 2024 but was brought forward after a confirmed case of illness related to food consumed from the takeaway.

In the food safety report, an inspector drew attention to the unhygienic food storage and preparation practices behind the counter, including a donor kebab shaving machine that was "dirty and clogged with grease".

They also noted an apparent lack of food hygiene training and handwashing among staff, who were wearing dirty aprons whilst preparing raw chicken during the visit.

Raw meat preparation also appeared to take place in the only sink in the kebab shop's kitchen, with the inspector expressing no confidence that the surface was sufficiently cleaned or disinfected before being used for other purposes. 

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Plastic storage containers for both chilled and dry goods were also "visually dirty", regular temperature checks for fridges and freezers on-site had lapsed some months ago and donor kebabs were being stored "on a piece of dirty cardboard on the floor of the walk-in chiller".

The inspector wrote that they had "no confidence that the staff were washing their hands between raw meat preparation and handling ready-to-eat foods" and noted that "the same types of containers were being used for both raw and cooked foods, risking cross-contamination". 

The report summarised that there was "a general lack of good safety practices and controls" at the takeaway, which suggested "a lack of knowledge and implementation, plus poor management".

Abra Kebab Ra is the only takeaway or sandwich shop out of over 300 in Buckinghamshire to have a zero-food hygiene rating.

Abra Kebab Ra has been contacted for comment.