One of London's most fashionable restaurants, used by film stars and members of the Royal family, has become the first in the country to be fined for falsely claiming that meat used in a number of its dishes was organically farmed.
Julie's Restaurant and Bar was fined £7,500 after its managing director, Johnny Ekperigin, admitted three offences under the Food Safety Act 1990. West London magistrates court was told that Julie's claimed three of the dishes on its menu – marinated roast chicken, sausages and spice-crusted rack of lamb – used organic produce. But environmental health officers on a routine visit seized delivery records and discovered that none mentioned that the meat came from organic sources.
Environmental health officers from Kensington and Chelsea council estimated that Julie's saved £4,184 by buying chicken that had not been produced organically.
Prince Charles, nowadays a vigorous champion of organic food, is a regular diner there and Captain Mark Phillips held his stag night at Julie's. Other patrons include Gwyneth Paltrow, Colin Firth, Helena Bonham Carter, Kate Moss and Naomi Campbell.
The posh snobs dinner boasts a warren of private dining rooms with French colonial furniture and sumptuous divans. It is popular for both stag nights and first dates among with London's elite and, according to one food critic two years ago, "the whole place reeks of sex". Prince Michael of Kent is said to have taken the one-time Royal Ballet principal dancer Bryony Brind, with whom he developed a close friendship, to their first dinner there.
The owner, Mr Ekperigin, walked free with a small fine - just £4,297 costs. He denied that he had used non-organic meat in an attempt to save money. "It was purely a mistake and I had taken my eye off the ball." he claimed.
Fiona Buxton. a Kensington and Chelsea cabinet member for public and environmental health, said: "For many visitors to the restaurant this has led to a betrayal of lifestyle. Consumers buy into the idea of organic food either due to the health implications or in support of good animal husbandry. Julie's Restaurant has cheated them of these values."
The Soil Association, one biggest certifer of organic produce, said it thought the prosecution was the first of its kind. But Steve Belton, its inspectorate director, said he believed that there was "a growing problem" of restaurants taking advantage of the public's interest in organic food and he called on local authorities to carry out more inspections.
We should all press the authorities to do more to ensure that organic remain organic.
Environmental health officers from Kensington and Chelsea council estimated that Julie's saved £4,184 by buying chicken that had not been produced organically.
Prince Charles, nowadays a vigorous champion of organic food, is a regular diner there and Captain Mark Phillips held his stag night at Julie's. Other patrons include Gwyneth Paltrow, Colin Firth, Helena Bonham Carter, Kate Moss and Naomi Campbell.
The posh snobs dinner boasts a warren of private dining rooms with French colonial furniture and sumptuous divans. It is popular for both stag nights and first dates among with London's elite and, according to one food critic two years ago, "the whole place reeks of sex". Prince Michael of Kent is said to have taken the one-time Royal Ballet principal dancer Bryony Brind, with whom he developed a close friendship, to their first dinner there.
The owner, Mr Ekperigin, walked free with a small fine - just £4,297 costs. He denied that he had used non-organic meat in an attempt to save money. "It was purely a mistake and I had taken my eye off the ball." he claimed.
Fiona Buxton. a Kensington and Chelsea cabinet member for public and environmental health, said: "For many visitors to the restaurant this has led to a betrayal of lifestyle. Consumers buy into the idea of organic food either due to the health implications or in support of good animal husbandry. Julie's Restaurant has cheated them of these values."
The Soil Association, one biggest certifer of organic produce, said it thought the prosecution was the first of its kind. But Steve Belton, its inspectorate director, said he believed that there was "a growing problem" of restaurants taking advantage of the public's interest in organic food and he called on local authorities to carry out more inspections.
We should all press the authorities to do more to ensure that organic remain organic.
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