Filthy details emerge about popular restaurant

The owner of a popular Greek restaurant has been given a hefty fine after health officials uncovered dead mice and cockroaches strewn throughout the business.

Director of Lambs on Lygon St in Melbourne, Stephen Yannoulidis, faced Melbourne Magistrate’s Court on Monday after inspectors reported ‘revolting’ conditions.

Melbourne Council had received several complaints of mice and cockroaches being ‘observed’ at the restaurant before sending officials in to inspect in March.

The court heard the inspectors found evidence of ‘live pest activity’ where food was prepared for customers, including dead mice, cockroaches and rodent faeces.

A dead mouse was spotted on the floor in the ‘service bar’ and rodent faeces were also found in the customer service area.

Mice and rat faeces were also found in the cool room near raw onions and scattered throughout the business.

On top of the pest infestation, dirt and food grime was found built up on a rotisserie spit holder, while marinating raw meat was seen in contact with plastic water bottles.

It was just the latest failed inspection for the business after Yannoulidis was ordered to shut down the restaurant to rectify its health standards on March 10 last year.

The court heard that despite the closure notice, Yannoulidis kept his pest-riddled business open and serving customers for a week. 

He also defied an order to properly display signage notifying customers of the closure and health concerns.

Yannoulidis’ lawyers argued the restaurateur ‘took his eye off the ball’ because of personal reasons, the Covid pandemic and being short-staffed.

They added that Yannoulidis, who has owned the restaurant since 1982,  would suffer financially if the filthy details were revealed.

‘It’s not a perfect world, there are always pests and it’s all about taking the proper steps to try and mitigate and minimise the risks,’ his lawyer said, as reported by the Melbourne City News.

‘Although he was engaging in pest control clearly he didn’t engage them sufficiently, not enough was being done.’

The lawyer argued that the deceased rodent found on the premises was killed because of pest eradication services.

However, the eradicators hadn’t removed the pests and the mouse was missed by Yannoulidis and his staff.

The court heard Yannoulidis will stay as the head of the restaurant which will remain open.

Magistrate Michael Gurvich said the food safety breaches were ‘revolting’ and ‘simply unacceptable’.

Mr Gurvich said the matter wasn’t an isolated incident with prior incidents also being recorded.

He added that the public is interested in ‘ensuring that food outlets are hygienic’ and entitled to a ‘proper level of hygienic food service’.

However, the magistrate accepted the ‘defendants have taken the matter seriously and they have rectified the breaches’.

 ‘Consequently there are good prospects of rehabilitation.’

Yannoulidis and Lambs on Lygon St both avoided a conviction but were fined $25,000 each and ordered to pay $7727.50 in court costs. 

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