Spize’s River Valley Saga: A Taste of Trouble (and a Hearty Lesson)
What Went Wrong?
Last November, a nasty incident at Spize’s River Valley outlet turned a casual lunch into a frightening tale of food poisoning. The National Environment Agency (NEA) rounded up the culprit, shut down the licence like a bad recipe, and called the whole operation “egregious.” Seven separate outbreaks involving 82 sick customers in just a few days sent shockwaves through Singapore’s food scene.
Owner’s Response
Co‑founder Mr Haresh Sabnani let us in on the drama before a press conference. He said they’re splitting up the business and “engaging with NEA’s concerns.” As if,”they’re baking this up with food hygiene consultants—like a culinary audit.” Meanwhile, the restaurant is doing its own deep dive into the River Valley outlet’s mess.
What’s Up with the Sale?
- The paper’s checks reveal the River Valley property at 409 River Valley Road is owned by two unsung partners—those names are off‑limits.
- In contrast, Spize owns the Bedok spot at 336 Bedok Road.
- Following the licence revocation, the River Valley Facebook page vanished—yet their website still glutes the location like an overeager sous‑chef.
NEA’s Stiff Punishment
October and November 2024 saw 84 food outlets getting a slap on their licence. Looking back, 2017 smelled fatter: 135 operators faced suspension that year alone.
NEA’s rule‑book: 12 demerit points within a year? – two‑week suspension. Three top infractions are still the most common:
- Messy premises
- Rodent infusions
- Unregistered food workers
Feelings in the Crowd
Some patrons were relieved to see the River Valley license revoked—like a quick palate cleanser—while others begged for stricter crackdowns. One customer, chosen to be Mr Wu, was minding his own business at the Bedok branch, chuckling about the whole fiasco.
“No probs, the River Valley mess is a different meal entirely,” Mr Wu said. “But why didn’t the other branches get the same receipt of closure?”
Ms Jeanette Lim, a regular at the now‑closed River Valley spot, warned of shocking contamination. “NEA should slap a harder fine slap on bad operators. We need a brand new cooking curriculum to keep the culinary goodies from disappearing!” she demanded.
Insurance agent Mr Kenneth Lim reckoned the spize case might just be the tip of an iceberg that is still melting in the food system. “We’re not confident all outlets follow NEA’s guidelines perfectly. If the agency can’t monitor every kitchen, maybe they should offer harsher fines and enforce stricter worker registration. Then, all chefs will live by the rulebook—who knew cooking could be so moral?”
Bottom Line
Spize’s River Valley adventure turned the food industry’s culinary safety protocols into a live‑action lesson: keep the kitchen clean, register your staff, and don’t let the food toss a nasty punch to the unsuspecting customer. And for any future restaurant owners, remember—a single rotten dish can void an entire business license—and that’s a lesson worth cooking with.
