Award-winning chef forced to shut luxury food truck selling £16 lobster subs after £2,000 fine over raw fish and meat
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AN AWARD-winning chef has been forced to shut his luxury food truck, which sold £16 lobster subs, after a £2,000 fine over raw fish and meat. Jamie O'Leary, 42, ran JOL's Food Truck in Ogmore-by-Sea, Wales, for three years before he was found guilty of 23 illegal hygiene offences.
![[Chef Jamie O’Leary has been found guilty of 23 food hygiene offences]](https://www.thesun.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/chef-jamie-oleary-opened-food-956776961.jpg?strip=all&w=960)
The chef, who trained under TV cook Stephen Terry and previously won a British Street Food award, was acclaimed for his street food. His signature Lobster Thermidor Sub served with a garlic and lemon pangrattato (breadcrumb mixture) and chips was a particular hit with seaside punters.
![[Defrosting raw fish and an open packet of raw mince were discovered in the hand-washing basin]](https://www.thesun.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/000-20-illegal-hygiene-offences-956863069.jpg?strip=all&w=960)
But he has now been ordered to pay the £2,283.75 worth of council costs, and fined a further £344, after appearing in court for the offences. Jamie plead guilty to 17 of the charges in August. The court case followed several failed health inspections by the Vale of Glamorgan Council.
![[Raw meat was found incorrectly stored at JOL's]](https://www.thesun.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/000-20-illegal-hygiene-offences-956863063.jpg?strip=all&w=958)
Inspectors initially discovered a "blatant disregard for food safety" at the bright yellow food van - giving it a damning food hygiene rating of zero. Then, on May 30 last year, an Environmental Health Officer visited the premises, where they found defrosting raw fish in the wash hand basin with an open packet of raw mince on top of the fish.
![[Rubbish could also be seen piled high at the premises]](https://www.thesun.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/000-20-illegal-hygiene-offences-956863136.jpg?strip=all&w=956)
Raw liquid egg was found in a container inside the sink, while equipment was being cleaned on a gastronome tray placed on the car park floor. A surface was also being used for raw meat and ready-to-eat foods without correct cleaning and disinfection. Kitchen equipment was also described as being grimy, mucky walls, the ventilation system and grill was thick with grease.
![[Jamie O’Leary opened his food van in 2021]](https://www.thesun.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/chef-jamie-oleary-opened-food-956776909.jpg?strip=all&w=960)
