• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to footer

News and entertainment worth sharing – York and North Yorkshire

  • News
  • Things to do
  • Radio
  • Vouchers
  • Categories
    • Business
  • More
    • Comments
    • Advertise
    • Contact us
Supreme Queen at York Barbican

Bird droppings next to the ham: epic hygiene fail by York restaurant

Thursday 26 February, 2015 @ 9.06 pm Food & drink YorkMix
Share via...
il-paradiso-ham
Meat hung up from a beam covered in bird droppings

The owner of a popular York restaurant has been fined £12,000 for hygiene offences including hanging hams on a beam covered in bird droppings.

Giampaolo Silesu, the owner and operator of Il Paradiso Del Cibo at 40 Walmgate, York, was taken to court by City of York Council.

On Thursday (February 26) he pleaded guilty to nine food hygiene violations dating between December 6 2013 and June 20 2014.

His restaurant was visited by environmental health officers over several months. On one visit, a ham was found in an outbuilding hanging from a rafter covered in bird droppings.

Officers repeatedly found problems including poor levels of cleanliness in the kitchen, issues of disrepair and insufficient lighting in a food handling area.

The premises did not have a food safety management system in place.

Officers offered advice at each visit about what improvements were needed, but Mr Silesu failed to take this on board.

He also failed to comply with a number of improvement notices that were served regarding food safety issues.

In his defence, Mr Silesu said that the restaurant had been closed for a week in January of this year for remedial work to be carried out.

Ordered to pay £14,000

il-paradiso-walmgate
It is meant to be a taste of paradise

York magistrates fined Silesu £12,000 (approximately £1,333 per offence) and ordered him to pay a victim surcharge of £120 and costs of £2,506.08, a total of £14,626.08.

Cllr Sonja Crisp, Cabinet Member with portfolio for Environmental Health, said:

While we aim to work with businesses in the city to improve their practice for the benefit of them and their customers, when standards fall below safe levels and that advice is ignored, we will take action as this case shows.

‘Best Italian in York – if not in UK’

Il Paradiso del Cibo has long been a favourite of diners who like its friendly atmosphere, and good value, tasty food.

Food writer Sam Stern told us he was a big fan, and celebrated one birthday there with a gang of mates.

One of its earliest TripAdvisor reviews, dating from May, 2011, described it as the “best Italian in York – if not in the UK”.

It has an overall rating of 4½ out of five on the website from 603 reviews, and, at the time of writing, is rated number 57 out of 719 restaurants in York.

The latest review is also full of praise saying:

This is great little restaurant – lots of hustle and bustle, and a great atmosphere, catering for all ages.

The staff are warm, outgoing and make everyone feel very welcome.

The food was outstanding and there was a very broad choice form pizzas to fillet steak.

– Colin W

And our reviewer raved about it on a trip to the restaurant in August 2013.

Richard McDougall wrote:

My wife went with the alle verdure risotto (£7.50), containing Arborio rice, sautéed with chargrill vegetables and garlic. She declared it to be “the best risotto in York” – creamy, perfectly cooked and tasty…

At the restaurant’s next routine inspection, its hygiene rating will be reviewed.

Restaurant review: A taste of paradise on Walmgate?

‘New hygiene rules insult chefs, damage businesses and mislead customers’

Drinking and dancing could be allowed on York footstreets till 11pm

18 Comments
Newest
Oldest Most Voted
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
Claire Holliday
7 years ago

Stanley Rogers and Margaret Rogers have you seen this?

0
Karen Gregory
7 years ago

I’ve been in his kitchens when he first opened and they looked clean to me used to get my lunch there every day

0
Leanne Emma Ward
7 years ago

Jess Lee 😱

0
Miz Ziga
7 years ago

C’mon, it’s all organic in the end! 🙂

0
Ben Astbury
7 years ago

Best restaurant in york

0
James Shepherdson
7 years ago

On my god, you don’t ignore improvement notices for a year after the first one

0
Mary ann
7 years ago

Had a truly dreadful meal there recently. Service appalling really surly.

0
Sue Smith
7 years ago

Lynn Gee

0
Sue Smith
7 years ago

That picture doesn’t actually bother me, it was the report of cross contamination of raw and cooked food which is the big one for me, and inadequate storage. I know he has done a lot of work now on the improvements needed

0
Glen Large
7 years ago

Fantastic food! Lovely people!

0
Glen Large
7 years ago

Fantastic food! Lovely people!

0
Neil Smith
7 years ago

It’s obvious from the picture he has replastered the ceiling, boarded the walls, etc and the ham is hung from string away from the muck. Which is dried and obviously old. The boxes of stock probably pass closer to fresh muck on its way from the suppliers lorry to the back of the restaurant. No biggie.

0
Trevor Allen
7 years ago

This is just cheap and sensationalised reporting. Paulo is a proper chef and I would trust him more than some Health & Safety bureaucrat who’s never run a restaurant ( or anything ) in their lives.

0
Sue Jackson
7 years ago

We love it there and we have never been ill x

0
Natalie Seals
7 years ago

Paul Webster we have been here.

0
Karen Mayes
7 years ago

I can’t believe this!!!

0
Danielle Hyde
7 years ago

I don’t care, it’s still the best italian and my favorite. The food is amazing and I’ve never been ill. A bit of dirt never hurt nobody!! I will still go there🍕🍝🍻🍷🍴

0
Eliza Traves
7 years ago

Love it still going to go

0

Footer

YorkMix
News 01904 848 766
Email YorkMix news »
5-6 King's Court, Shambles, York  YO1 7LD
YorkMix Radio
General enquiries 01904 375 029
Studio/competitions 01904 375 030
Email YorkMix Radio »
Selby Superbowl, Bawtry Road, Selby  YO8 8NA
YorkMix is a trading name of YorkMix Media Ltd
Registered in England
Company number: 07814727
VAT number: 154 0364 34
© York Sound Ltd

Copyright © 2022 YorkMix Media Ltd

We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “Accept”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies.
Cookie settingsACCEPT
Manage consent

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
Non-necessary
Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.
SAVE & ACCEPT
wpDiscuz