Doctor finds cockroach at Mumbai hotel, tags FDA chief over hygiene concern

Mumbai: A dinner at one of Mumbai’s luxury hotels turned into an unexpected food-safety concern after cardiologist Dr Ashok Seth spotted a baby cockroach on his dining table at JW Marriott Mumbai Sahar.

Dr Seth, chairman of Fortis Healthcare, was dining at Romano’s, the Italian restaurant at the hotel, on Saturday night, September 19, when he noticed the insect moving around on the table.

He later posted a video of the incident on X, showing the cockroach near the food. In his post, Seth referred to the insect as “Roachie” and said the group tried to get it to leave but was unsuccessful.

The doctor used humour while describing the incident, suggesting that the unexpected visitor may have been more interested in pizza than pasta. But the situation eventually affected the diners’ appetite, and they decided to leave the restaurant without completing their meal.

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Seth also tagged Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Tukaram Mundhe, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) and JW Marriott while raising the issue publicly.

The post has since attracted attention online, with questions being raised over hygiene and pest-control practices at high-end food establishments.

The incident also prompted a response from Marriott Bonvoy Assist, the hotel group’s customer-support account. In a reply to Seth, the account acknowledged the complaint and said the matter would be looked into. It also asked him to share his details and reservation information privately so that the hotel could follow up. WION also reached out to the hotel for the response, but was awaiting a reply at the time of filing this report.

Speaking about the incident later, Seth raised concerns about food hygiene and said he had been dining with foreign delegates when the cockroach was spotted. He described the experience as embarrassing and questioned how such an incident could occur at a premium hotel.

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For a restaurant, the presence of a cockroach on a customer's dining table is a visible hygiene concern. However, the incident itself does not establish the condition of the restaurant's kitchen or prove a wider food-safety violation. Such findings would require an inspection by the competent authorities.

The incident comes at a time when food-safety and hygiene checks at restaurants have received increased attention in Maharashtra. The state FDA has been carrying out inspections of food establishments and taking action in cases where officials identify violations of food-safety regulations.

Seth's post has also put the focus on the role of regulatory authorities. By tagging FDA Commissioner Mundhe and FSSAI, the cardiologist has effectively sought attention from the agencies responsible for monitoring food safety standards.