Sydney Nepali Restaurant Fined Over Hygiene Failures, Salmonella Outbreak
- Staff Writer
- 2 days ago
- 2 min read
A Nepali restaurant in Sydney has been hit with a $37,500 fine after inspectors found rodent droppings, uncovered food and contaminated menu items.
YDR Hospitality Group Pty Ltd and its director Jwalanta Khatiwoda, who own Khukuri Nepali Restaurant in Campsie, were convicted on 12 charges under the NSW Food Act and fined $37,500 in the Burwood Local Court on 21 April 2026.
The 12 charges related to various hygiene and pest control offences and the sale of unsafe food with links to a Salmonella foodborne illness outbreak that left diners sick.
NSW Food Authority CEO Andrew Davies had a warning for operators who cut corners. "We will take action against the few who fail to do so to ensure the safety of food in NSW," Davies said. "Consumers have the right to be confident the food they buy and eat is safe and has been produced and prepared in a clean and sanitary environment."
Diners Fell Sick After Eating At Sydney Nepali Restaurant
The case began after diners lodged complaints about illness after dining at the restaurant in 2023. The complaints led to an inspection by NSW Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD) compliance officers.
What officers found in the kitchen was serious enough to shut the place down.
The officers observed poor conditions including unclean floors, fixtures, fittings and surfaces, rodent excrement, uncovered food and inadequate sanitising methods.
NSW DPIRD compliance officers issued a Prohibition Order directing the company to cease trading following advice from NSW Health and epidemiological evidence linking the restaurant to a Salmonella Reading cluster — a specific type of Salmonella.
Salmonella Reading Outbreak At Restaurant
The contamination was not just confined to surfaces. Food and surface samples collected from the kitchen tested positive for Salmonella Reading, including two cooked food menu items which were to be served cold. Genomic sequencing linked these samples to the NSW Health Salmonella Reading cluster.
Salmonella Reading is a strain that Australian health authorities have tracked across multiple clusters over recent years. Unlike surface contamination, food items testing positive can make diners sick.
Salmonella Reading is a strain Australian health authorities have tracked across multiple clusters in recent years. Unlike surface contamination, that poses risk only through contact, food items that test positive - particularly those served cold with no further cooking - can make diners sick.
Name And Shame Dodgy Restaurants
The NSW Food Authority publishes a Name and Shame register of businesses found guilty of breaching food safety laws, with details generally remaining publicly listed for two years following any appeal period. The register is searchable and publicly accessible on the Food Authority's website.
For serious breaches of legislation, the NSW Food Authority can prosecute not just businesses but also employees, proprietors, managers and individual company directors. That is precisely what happened here — the director was personally convicted alongside the company.
The restaurant, which recently opened a branch in Melbourne, has not publicly commented on the conviction.
For more details about lodging a food safety complaint in NSW, visit the NSW Food Authority website.
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