A Sydney-based Nepali restaurant and its director have been fined a total of AUD 37,500 following multiple food safety breaches and their connection to a Salmonella outbreak, according to New South Wales authorities.
The YDR Hospitality Group Pty Ltd, trading as Khukuri Nepali Restaurant, and its director, Jwalanta Khatiwoda, were convicted on 12 charges under the NSW Food Act 2003 in Burwood Local Court on April 21, 2026.
The charges stemmed from hygiene and pest control failures, as well as the sale of unsafe food linked to a foodborne illness outbreak caused by Salmonella Reading, a specific strain of Salmonella.
The investigation began after consumers reported becoming ill following meals at the restaurant in 2023. Compliance officers from the NSW Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD) inspected the premises and identified numerous food safety concerns, including dirty floors and food-contact surfaces, rodent droppings, uncovered food, and inadequate sanitization practices.
Following advice from NSW Health and epidemiological evidence linking the restaurant to a Salmonella Reading cluster, authorities issued a Prohibition Order requiring the business to cease trading.
Laboratory testing of food and environmental samples collected from the kitchen detected Salmonella Reading in multiple locations, including two cooked menu items intended to be served cold. Genomic sequencing later confirmed that the isolates matched those involved in the outbreak cluster identified by NSW Health.
Chief Executive Officer of the NSW Food Authority, Andrew Davies, stated that while most food businesses comply with food safety requirements, enforcement action will be taken against those that put public health at risk.
The case highlights the importance of maintaining proper hygiene, pest control, and food handling practices to prevent foodborne illness outbreaks and protect consumer safety.