Indian Chef food hygiene rating
Takeaway/sandwich shop · Durham
Indian Chef holds a 2, which means some improvement is necessary. The inspector found problems at the takeaway that the business is required to fix.
The rating: 2 - Some improvement necessary
The rating dates from 10 March 2026, 4 months ago. Councils typically re-inspect higher-risk businesses every six months to two years, with well-run, low-risk places visited least often, so this is a normal gap.
Address: 20 Front Street, Lanchester, DH7 0ER
How it compares in Durham
A 2 is rare: only 51 of 4,133 rated places in Durham score this low, about one in 81. By contrast 75% of the borough holds a 5, so this is well below what the council's inspectors normally find.
| 5 out of 5 | 3,087 | 75% | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 682 | 17% | ||
| 3 out of 5 | 286 | 7% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 51 | 1% | ← Indian Chef | |
| 1 out of 5 | 25 | 1% | ||
| 0 out of 5 | 2 | <1% |
A further 512 businesses in the area are awaiting inspection or exempt, so are not counted above.
What the inspector found
- Hygienic food handling Improvement necessary
- Cleanliness & condition of the building Generally satisfactory
- How well they manage food safety Generally satisfactory
An inspection scores three things: how food is handled, the physical condition of the premises, and how much the inspector trusts management to keep standards up. At Indian Chef the inspector recorded concerns over how food is handled. Because the overall rating is only ever as strong as its weakest area, that is what holds the score down.
Food hygiene ratings nearby
The closest food businesses to Indian Chef, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lanchester Pizzeria Takeaway/sandwich shop | 4 yards away | 5 - Very good | 18 April 2024 |
| Di Di Pizzeria Takeaway/sandwich shop | 4 yards away | 3 - Generally satisfactory | 28 October 2025 |
| J Hanley and Sons Ltd Manufacturers/packers | 9 yards away | 5 - Very good | 25 February 2026 |
| The Gallery Coffee Shop Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 15 yards away | 5 - Very good | 4 December 2024 |
| Golden Valley Takeaway/sandwich shop | 19 yards away | 5 - Very good | 14 November 2023 |
| Spar Retailers - other | 27 yards away | 5 - Very good | 25 November 2025 |
| Lanchester News Retailers - other | 35 yards away | 3 - Generally satisfactory | 3 March 2026 |
| Lanchester Country Basket Retailers - other | 45 yards away | 5 - Very good | 11 March 2024 |
Questions about Indian Chef
What is Indian Chef's food hygiene rating?
Indian Chef has a food hygiene rating of 2 out of 5 (some improvement necessary), given by Durham Council on 10 March 2026.
Is Indian Chef safe to eat at?
A 2 means the inspector found problems the business is required to fix. The takeaway is not shut down, a rating is not a closure order, but standards were found to be below what the law expects at the time of inspection.
When was Indian Chef last inspected?
Indian Chef was last inspected on 10 March 2026, 4 months ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by Durham Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at Indian Chef?
The inspector scored three areas. Hygienic food handling was rated "improvement necessary", the cleanliness and condition of the building "generally satisfactory", and confidence in the management of food safety "generally satisfactory". Lower concern in all three is what earns a high overall rating.
How does Indian Chef compare to other places in Durham?
75% of the 4,133 rated food businesses in Durham hold the top rating of 5, while Indian Chef holds a 2. 51 places in the area share that rating.
Who decides the rating?
Durham Council inspects Indian Chef and sets the rating; the Food Standards Agency publishes it. Neither the business nor this site can change a rating, a business that disagrees can appeal to its council, and can request a re-inspection once it has fixed the problems.
Tell me when this changes
The Food Standards Agency publishes only a business's rating today, not what it scored before, and not when it moves. We check every UK rating each night. Watch Indian Chef and we will email you the morning after its rating changes.
Free, for three businesses, forever. No password, we send you a link. How rating alerts work →
Is this your business?
A rating of 2 is public, and most customers look. Only 18% of people say they would order from a business rated 2 or below, against 94% from one rated 4. Delivery platforms may decline to list you.
We cannot change this rating, and nor can you. It was set by an environmental health officer at Durham, and it stands until they inspect again. What you can do:
- Fix what the inspector found, then ask the council for a re-inspection. Most charge between £120 and £316, and will not re-visit within three months of the original inspection.
- If you believe the rating is simply wrong, you have 21 days from being notified to appeal to the council. That is 21 calendar days, not working days.
- You may submit a right to reply at any time. It is published alongside the rating, here, and on the FSA's own site.
What a low rating means → · How re-inspections and appeals work →
Your council: Durham
Understanding this rating
More food hygiene ratings near here
Indian Chef is one of 31 rated food businesses in Lanchester. See every hygiene rating in Lanchester →
Durham inspects and rates 4,645 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in Durham →
The official record is held by the council: http://www.durham.gov.uk
Rating from the Food Standards Agency under the Open Government Licence. Ratings reflect standards found at the time of inspection and can change. If you think a rating is wrong, the official record is held by the FSA and the local authority; corrections there flow through here. How ratings work →