Mayfair hotel given just one star

By Jacob Phillips, Local Democracy Reporter

A Michelin starred Mayfair hotel was given a hygiene rating of just one after an inspector found its scallop paperwork wasn’t in order and took the mollusc off its menu.

The St James Hotel and Club in Park Place was also penalised by the council for allegedly failing to keep documents on pheasant and foie gras dishes.

According to the hotel’s website, its restaurant has been awarded a Michelin star every year since its opening. The menu is made up of French dishes using British seasonal produce.

The hotel said it has made the appropriate changes and it is waiting to be inspected again after the council’s January visit.

It also claimed the council inspector was now happy with the establishment and was expecting to have its higher rating restored.

In a council hygiene report on the hotel, a health inspector wrote: “Scallop Civiche documentation does not address the hazard of viruses.

“These have been removed from the menu until you are satisfied that viruses are controlled.

“There is no documentation for the pheasant and foie gras boudin. I found this in your walk-in chiller with a shelf life of seven days. How did you come up with this shelf life?”

The hotel was given a hygiene rating of one out of five for the alleged mishaps as well as other issues.

In the main kitchen the sink had come away from the wall and the door on the freezer also came off when it was opened.

Screws had been used on the ice cream machine and this could have caused contamination.

The inside of the microwave was also damaged and the hotel was instructed to replace it.

St James Hotel and Club manager Anjana Pandya said: “We are a Michelin Star restaurant. I can say with pride we have had a food hygiene rating of four for 14 years.

“The reason why the new inspector has given us a rating of one is that we were coming out of the pandemic.”

Pictured top: The St James Hotel and Club in Park Place