4 days ago
FDA Suspends Suraj Lama Momos License During Festival Drive
Mumbai’s food safety authority suspended the license of a popular momo shop and seven other eateries.
The shop is called Suraj Lama Momos, and its first location was in Andheri West.
Officials said they found problems with how food was handled and stored, as well as with cleanliness and preventing contamination.
Suraj Lama used to work as a driver for actors, including Sonakshi Sinha and Shahid Kapoor.
In 2017, he left that job and began selling momos.
His business later grew to include several outlets.
Lama has said that his wife oversees a central kitchen that makes around 16,000 momos each day.
The article does not report a response from the shop to the FDA’s findings.
Maharashtra’s Food and Drug Administration suspended licenses of eight more eateries on Monday during a festival-season enforcement drive.
The affected outlets included Suraj Lama Momos’s original branch in Andheri West, Mumbai.
The FDA cited alleged lapses in food handling and storage, sanitation, cleanliness, and safeguards against contamination.
Suraj Lama left celebrity driving in 2017 to start selling momos, after working for actors including Sonakshi Sinha and Shahid Kapoor.
Lama said his Mumbai central kitchen, overseen by his wife, prepares about 16,000 momos daily for company-run and franchise stores.
- Who
- The Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration and Suraj Lama Momos.
- What
- The FDA suspended the license of the shop’s original Andheri West branch, citing food-safety and sanitation lapses.
- Where
- The original Suraj Lama Momos branch in Andheri West, Mumbai.
- When
- Monday; the article does not specify the date.
- Why
- The FDA cited lapses in food handling and storage, sanitation, cleanliness, and measures to prevent contamination.
FDA’s findings
Business’s stated practices
Food safety and quality
FDA’s findings
The FDA said the outlet had serious lapses in food handling and storage, sanitation, cleanliness, and safeguards against contamination.
Business’s stated practices
Suraj Lama has said he follows his mother’s momo recipe, avoids preservatives and artificial colouring, and uses a central kitchen overseen by his wife. The article does not report the shop responding to the FDA’s findings.
Key facts
- Eateries affected
- Eight more eateries had their licenses suspended during the drive.
- Affected shop
- Suraj Lama Momos’s original Andheri West branch.
- Enforcement authority
- Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration.
- FDA concerns
- Food handling and storage, sanitation, cleanliness, and contamination safeguards.
- Business launch
- Suraj Lama began selling momos in 2017.
- Daily production
- Lama said the central kitchen prepares about 16,000 momos daily.
- Kitchen staff
- Lama said the central kitchen has a staff of 25 and is overseen by his wife.
Quotes
Suraj Lama
Owner of Suraj Lama Momos and former celebrity driver
“It is important to maintain quality. Today, we have a central kitchen in Mumbai, overseen entirely by my wife, with a staff of 25, preparing about 16,000 momos daily across various options. It is these momos, cooked till about 90 per cent, that go to each store, whether run by us or a franchise. Until I can do that in another city, I won’t expand.”
indianexpress.com
“In hindsight, it was a big risk. We both were earning around Rs 30,000 each, spending half of it running our home, and saving the rest. The gamble paid off, but it could have gone in another direction as well.”
indianexpress.com
Sources
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