Courts / Wicklow / Report

Avoca head chef sacked for 'falsified' fridge record says he made 'genuine mistake'

Summary

Avoca has been accused of overreacting by sacking its head chef, Giorgio Romano, after a company investigator claimed he falsified refrigeration records for two batches of curry. The Workplace Relations Commission heard that Avoca informed health inspectors that there was no food safety risk and did not recall the meals. Romano's lawyers argued that the company acted disproportionately, as Romano made a genuine mistake under pressure. Romano, who had worked for Avoca for 17 years, stated he was under pressure due to a shortage of staff and was operating new equipment for the first time. He explained that he took the curries out of the chiller himself because a kitchen assistant was missing. The tribunal was told that Avoca had no evidence of a food safety risk and that firing Romano was inconsistent with their earlier statements. The adjudicator is expected to deliver a decision in about 12 weeks.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: Avoca head chef sacked for 'falsified' fridge record says he made 'genuine mistake'. Procedural stage: charge_or_pretrial

When:

• June 2024 Other
• 4 June Hearing Or Sentence
• 21 June Hearing Or Sentence
• 7 August Hearing Or Sentence
• 16 August Hearing Or Sentence
• 2026-02-06 Publication

Why: Mr Lowey said his client had tried to mount a defence in the disciplinary hearing when he told Mr Conway he was "under a lot of pressure" on the day of the event because the kitchen was short-handed and it was his client's first time operating new industrial-sized "kettles" by himself. Defence account reported by CNI

Case subjects

Places mentioned

Topics

Stage Charge Or Pretrial

Related court reports

• 15 people must leave south Dublin house by March 20, court orders
• Fund entitled to possession of Blackrock property with 15 occupants, judge rules
• Car driven into sea was "instrument of murder", prosecution tells woman's murder trial
• Woman goes on trial accused of murdering colleague by driving him in to harbour
• Three prisoners sentenced to three years for assaulting fellow Mountjoy inmate

Read the original CNI report