A Michelin-starred French restaurant where dinner for two can cost £200 has been hit with the second lowest food hygiene rating.
La Trompette in Chiswick, where local celebrities such as Clare Balding, Adrian Chiles and Anna Ford are regulars, was given a one-star rating out of five by inspectors.
According to the Food Standards Agency, one-star status means “major improvement necessary”.
The report, following an inspection by a Hounslow council food safety officer in October, said the restaurant had struggled to reach safety standards over several years and had “still not got to grips” with them.
The officer was concerned that the head chef “demonstrated little knowledge of the location and content” of the food safety manual. Other shortfalls were in systems to prevent rodent contamination and cross-contamination of E.coli 0157.
La Trompette is due to reopen after a major refurbishment at the end of the month. Manager Paul Halliwell said it had complied with the report’s demands. The council said: “We are now satisfied La Trompette has met all our requirements.”
