Celebrity chef’s Liverpool restaurant turns fortunes around after damning inspection

Gino D’Acampo’s Liverpool city centre restaurant is out of the dog house having secured a top food hygiene rating months after a second admonishment by health inspectors. In May, a little more than a year after environmental health officials took a dim view of cleanliness and food handling at the Old Hall Street venue, the Italian restauranteur’s business received another one star hygiene rating.

The findings of Liverpool Council’s inspection – released through a Freedom of Information request – revealed how out of date steak and a packet of ham had led to the celebrity chef’s eponymous venue being graded as one out of five and requiring ‘major’ improvement. Now, a fresh assessment carried out earlier this month has confirmed things are looking up for the brand.

Among the shortcomings that prompted a call to make major improvements earlier this year was the keeping of chateaubriand steak beyond its use by date as well as boneless beef found with a consume by date three weeks prior to March’s inspection. This is now the second time Gino’s restaurant has bounced back to win a five out of five grading.

May’s report placed fresh scrutiny on the business and said inspectors found four 16oz steaks past their use by dates in a downstairs kitchen. Additionally, a 32oz cote de beouf steak was four days past its date.

The manufacturer’s use by date on a packet of sliced honey roast ham had also elapsed when officials inspected the city centre kitchen. The report also noted a tray of vacuum packed swordfish had been incorrectly date labelled while chilled boneless beef had been found with a should be consumed date of June 7, 2023.

The officials gave strict instructions to the management going forward. The report said: “You must ensure to follow your written documented procedures in practice particularly in relating to date labelling and stock rotation. “I note your daily food safety closing checks (out of date foods) conflict with what we found in practice during today’s inspection.”

The LDRS contacted a spokesperson for the business for comment following the new grading.