Viral Video: Caterpillar In IAS Couple's Salad Triggers Hygiene Scandal At Gurgaon Restaurant

An IAS couple's fine-dining experience at The House of Celeste in Gurgaon turned sour after discovering a caterpillar in their salad. Food safety officials issued a notice to the restaurant, citing hygiene lapses and missing pest control records. Samples were sent for testing, raising concerns about food safety standards in upscale Gurgaon eateries.

Caterpillar Found In Salad At Gurgaon Restaurant (Social media)

A high-class meal experience turned ugly for an IAS couple when they spotted a caterpillar in their vegetable salad at fine-dining restaurant The House of Celeste in Gurugram's Sector 15, Phase 2, on the last Saturday. The incident left the department looking into food safety after authorities served the restaurant with a notice upon discovering several hygiene offenses, as reported by news agency TOI.

After the complaint from the couple, along with video footage of the crawling caterpillar, food safety officials raided the restaurant on Monday. Senior Food Safety Officer Ramesh Chauhan characterized the findings as "alarming," based on the lapses in hygiene protocol and the absence of recent evidence of pest control. Paneer, cashew, peanuts, and green chutney samples were taken and sent to the government-approved laboratory at Karnal for testing.

"The lab report will give a full picture, but the initial inspection already showed serious concerns," Chauhan explained. The eatery also could not provide necessary documents, such as pest control records and FSSAI food safety training certificates. The management has been asked to submit these papers within 10 days.

A fine-dining experience turned unsavoury for an IAS couple who discovered a caterpillar in their vegetable salad at an upscale restaurant last Saturday.

The incident occurred at The House of Celeste in Sector 15's Phase 2 area.#gurugram pic.twitter.com/YjXn0RIL6a

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The manager of the restaurant confirmed the raid, describing it as a "routine check," and guaranteed an in-house investigation into the episode. "We are conducting the matter very seriously," he said.

The IAS couple, who did not want to be named, complained to the food safety department formally, which initiated the investigation. The episode has set off alarm bells regarding food safety norms in high-end restaurants in Gurgaon, with a further decision depending on the lab test.