Just two months ago, Mumbai’s Olympia Coffee House was in the spotlight for a very different reason.Christopher Nolan, Matt Damon and Tom Holland had dropped in at the 108-year-old Colaba eatery during their India visit for the premiere of The Odyssey. There were pictures, chai and bun maska, and plenty of excitement around the Hollywood stars visiting one of Mumbai’s old-school cafés.Now, Olympia is making headlines again. This time, it’s because the Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has suspended its food licence following an inspection that found several serious food safety and hygiene violations.And some of the findings are hard to ignore.
What did the FDA find at Olympia Coffee House?
The inspection was carried out on September 16 after the FDA received a consumer complaint under its ‘Safe Food Safe Maharashtra’ campaign.According to the FDA, officials found a urinal in the food storage area, along with cockroaches and flies on the premises. Food was also being handled directly on the floor, while the food preparation and utensil-washing areas were found to be unhygienic.The inspection also flagged the use of unclean water.Inside a refrigerator, officials found meat and blood residues, while raw vegetarian and non-vegetarian food wasn’t properly segregated, according to the FDA. Damaged wooden chopping boards were also being used for food preparation.Food handlers weren’t wearing the required protective clothing either.
Most food handlers hadn’t completed mandatory training
The inspection raised concerns about staff training as well.Out of 35 food handlers at Olympia Coffee House, the FDA said 34 had not undergone the required food safety training.The officials also said mandatory water-testing reports and essential sanitation records weren’t available at the premises.So, the issue wasn’t limited to one isolated hygiene problem. The FDA’s inspection pointed to several areas involving food storage, preparation, handling, cleaning and compliance.
What happens to Olympia Coffee House now?
The licence suspension means the establishment cannot purchase, prepare, store, sell or distribute food during the suspension period, according to reports.The action isn’t necessarily permanent. The FDA has said the deficiencies need to be rectified before the establishment can seek further action, followed by a satisfactory re-inspection.
From Hollywood’s favourite chai stop to an FDA crackdown
The timing makes the development particularly striking.In July, Olympia became an unlikely stop on Nolan’s India itinerary. The filmmaker, along with Damon and Holland, visited the Colaba café ahead of the Indian premiere of The Odyssey, bringing fresh attention to a place that had been part of Mumbai’s food scene for more than a century.Now, just weeks later, the same café is at the centre of a food safety investigation.Olympia isn’t the only establishment facing action. The Maharashtra FDA has been carrying out inspections across the state as part of its festive-season food safety drive, with several food businesses in Mumbai and elsewhere facing suspensions or cancellations over reported violations.For Olympia, though, the contrast is especially stark. A café that recently drew Hollywood stars for its old Mumbai charm is now being asked to address basic food safety and hygiene concerns before it can resume its food operations.
