A Neston town councillor said he was ‘devastated’ after being fined for his restaurant serving beef instead of lamb in a curry.
Abdul Jilani, of Millfield, Neston, no longer owns The Red Fox in Tiverton where the mix up happened on May 28, 2014.
A different brand of gin had also been put into a Gordon’s Gin bottle.
The 60-year-old pleaded guilty to two charges at Chester Magistrates Court on November 3 after a Trading Standards investigation.
Mr Jilani said: “I’m really devastated, it was just a case of human error.
“We had verbal training for all our staff and everyone knew how to do the job right.”
Tests found it was actually beef in the lamb jalfrezi ordered by a customer.
A sample from the spirit shelf also proved London Gin was being served from a Gordon’s Gin bottle.
The town councillor said: “The chef doesn’t know how it happened.
“On that day the meat deliveries came at 4:55pm when it usually comes at 6:30pm.
“People could specially order the meat jalfrezi, but nothing on the usual menu had beef in and we would only use it for the Sunday special.”
At the time he ran Tarporley Indian Cuisine Limited which owned The Red Fox as well as restaurants in Ellesmere Port and Tattenhall.
The company was fined £3,375 in total, while Jilani was fined £2,115 as a culpable director.
He must pay both fines because he has since sold the business.
“This was not a way for us to make money, lamb and beef are the same price.
“I have been in the restaurant business for 40 years and never had a problem with any department.”
Mr Jilani represents the Little Neston ward and was also said to be a prominent member of the Bangladeshi community in Cheshire.
He added the experience had led him to getting out of the business.
Mr Jilani said: “I wouldn’t spend much time in the restaurant because I was out in the community, that’s part of my life.
“But I want to make a sincere apology to everyone.
“I said to Trading Standards this was a genuine mistake, but because of the problems getting staff I’m not going to be in catering any more.
“I loved the restaurant business, and I came out of it after 40 years because of what has happened.”
