Cotton bud in salad dish: Din Tai Fung confirms no foreign objects in kitchen after investigation

A diner at the Din Tai Dung restaurant in Jem had an unexpected ingredient in the food on Aug 18 at 9.45pm.

The Stomper shared a photo of a cotton bud in a plate of an appetiser called Oriental Salad in Special Vinegar Dressing.

"I ate this and got this." said the Stomper, who informed the restaurant staff.

"They said sorry and I got a 20 per cent discount off the total bill."

In response to a Stomp query, Din Tai Fung Singapore confirmed that it had received feedback regarding the incident.

"The incident involved a customer finding a foreign object, specifically a cotton bud, in their Oriental Salad in Special Vinegar Dressing," said the restaurant chain, which has 22 outlets in Singapore.

"This matter was raised to the service staff at the restaurant on the day itself, as well as in a feedback form via our website on a later date, Aug 20.

"Upon being alerted to the situation on Aug 18, we took immediate and decisive action to address the matter.

"Our primary concern was to mitigate the experience faced by the customer, while we conducted a thorough internal investigation. Our service staff proceeded to remove the dish which contained the cotton bud, and subsequently provided a complimentary replacement of the same dish.

"Additionally, acknowledging the disruption to the customer's dining experience, we also extended a 20 per cent discount on the final bill, a gesture accepted by the customer during their visit.

"Din Tai Fung Singapore immediately conducted a thorough investigation and analysis of our CCTV footage. This detailed inquiry was also extended to the personnel directly involved in serving the dish to the customer, as well as the chef responsible for preparing the dish's ingredients.

"The inspection concluded, noting the adherence to our stringent dish preparation protocols and exacting food hygiene standards. Most importantly, our investigations confirmed the absence of any foreign objects within our kitchen facilities.

"Din Tai Fung Singapore places paramount importance on food hygiene and safety. Our established protocols are designed to prevent occurrences of this nature. Our team members diligently perform daily cleaning and food safety checks throughout the restaurant and the kitchen and are tasked to promptly report any anomalies to the management. Our culinary team are also not allowed to bring any personal belongings to the kitchen and/or food preparation areas.

"Food and hygiene safety remains our top priority and would like to assure everyone that we take all cases of this nature with the utmost seriousness. We are committed and responsible to maintaining the quality standards of all our culinary offerings and have strict control measures implemented within the restaurants, especially where food preparation is conducted."