Sabai Sabai, a well-known Thai restaurant chain with several locations across Birmingham and the West Midlands, has been instructed to improve its hygiene practices after receiving a substandard food hygiene rating at its Moseley venue.
On March 3, the Moseley branch of Sabai Sabai, located on Woodbridge Road, was assessed by local food hygiene inspectors and received a score of 2 out of 5. According to the Food Standards Agency (FSA), any score below 3 is deemed a failure, with a 2 rating indicating that improvement is necessary.
Food hygiene ratings are determined through random inspections and evaluate cleanliness, food preparation, storage practices, and management procedures. While Sabai Sabai’s other Birmingham locations—including those in the city centre, Harborne, Solihull, and Stratford-upon-Avon—currently maintain passing hygiene scores, the Moseley site fell short during this inspection.
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Co-owner Torquil Chidwick addressed the situation, explaining that the inspection took place during a period when the restaurant manager was on annual leave and the head chef was off, leaving the sous chef in charge. “Some procedural oversights occurred, such as gaps in date labelling checks,” he stated. Additionally, scheduled maintenance, including an annual repaint of the cellar, had not been completed prior to the inspection.
Chidwick clarified that the hygiene fail was primarily related to cleanliness, maintenance, and procedural compliance rather than fundamental food safety risks. No concerns about cross-contamination or significant food safety hazards were identified. The issues included the need for a deeper clean in various areas, addressing damp causing corrosion and peeling paint in the cellar, and ensuring structural upkeep to support effective hygiene.
In response, Sabai Sabai has replaced affected equipment and fully repainted impacted areas. They also addressed procedural gaps related to date labelling, recording delivery temperatures, calibrating probes, and completing opening and closing checks. Furthermore, allergen labelling was improved—specifically, nuts included in pre-packed Pad Thai now have clear “contains nuts” labels, and Knorr stock powders containing multiple “may contain” allergens have been removed from recipes to provide clearer allergen information.
The chain has implemented a digital daily checklist system covering critical control points such as temperature monitoring, labelling, cleaning schedules, and operational procedures. This system sends immediate alerts to management if tasks are missed. Staff training has been enhanced, focusing on allergen management, food labelling, and food safety compliance to prevent future lapses.
Sabai Sabai has requested a reinspection, confident that the necessary improvements have been made or are underway. The company emphasized its commitment to maintaining high hygiene standards across all locations and assured customers that the measures enacted will ensure ongoing progress.