Diner evicted from pub over food row (From Clacton and Frinton Gazette)

Diner evicted from pub over food row

7:00am Sunday 16th September 2012 in News

A PECKISH diner was kicked out of a carvery after angering the chef by picking up crackling with her fingers while queuing for her Sunday roast.

Angela Timothy, 48, was looking forward to the meal with her mum Shirley and uncle Jim, but were told there would be a 30-minute wait when they visited the Toby Carvery at Clacton’s Martello Bay.

But 45 minutes later, while queuing, she got peckish and found the temptation too much and picked up crackling with her fingers before eating it.

“The chef looked really annoyed and took the rest of the pork out the back,” said Angela, of Melton Close, Clacton.

“When he came back and asked what I wanted I said the pork and some of the crackling.

“But he told me there would be a 30-minute wait. “I said what about the pork he had taken out and he said I could take it out of the bin if I liked.

“I called the manager over to complain and they said it was because I picked it up with my finger and that the chef is strict over health and safety.

“People touch the Yorkshire puddings without the tongs all the time and they don’t throw them away - it’s not as if I didn’t eat what I had touched.

“I wasn’t happy and stormed back to my seat without having had anything to eat – but then I was asked to leave and told if I didn’t they would call the police.”

She added: “I was furious – all this because I ate a piece of crackling.

“I’m gutted because I love the carvery and I won’t be able to show my face in there again.”

A spokesman for the restaurant said: “We never take risks where food safety is concerned. “Our chef really didn’t know which bits of crackling has been touched so he did the right thing and threw it away just to be safe.

“I would think our other guests would be very pleased to know that he did that.”