The Chef Imperial Restaurant food hygiene rating
Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen · West Oxfordshire
The Chef Imperial Restaurant holds a 1: major improvement is necessary. The inspector found significant problems at the restaurant and the business is legally required to address them.
The rating: 1 - Major improvement necessary
This is a fresh result: The Chef Imperial Restaurant was inspected on 30 July 2026, so the rating reflects what the inspector found very recently.
Only 1% of rated food businesses in West Oxfordshire score 0 to 2 like this, so a low rating here is the exception, not the norm. See all West Oxfordshire ratings →
Address: 22 High Street, Woodstock, Oxfordshire, OX20 1TF
⚠️ The lowest-rated places near The Chef Imperial Restaurant
These food businesses close to this one were rated 0 to 2 at their last inspection, the lowest ratings. Tap any to see why.
How this rating has changed
The Chef Imperial Restaurant has gone backwards: it held a 3 before its inspection on 30 July 2026, and now holds a 1. A rating of 1 means the inspector found problems the business is required to fix.
| Inspected | Rating | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 30 July 2026 | 3 1 | Worse |
The FSA publishes only a business's current rating. This history is our own record of what it has scored since we began watching.
How it compares in West Oxfordshire
A 1 is rare: only 5 of 1,017 rated places in West Oxfordshire score this low, about one in 203. By contrast 95% of the borough holds a 5, so this is well below what the council's inspectors normally find.
| 5 out of 5 | 962 | 95% | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 40 | 4% | ||
| 3 out of 5 | 8 | 1% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 2 | <1% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 5 | <1% | ← The Chef Imperial Restaurant | |
| 0 out of 5 | 0 | 0% |
A further 113 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 Improvement necessary
- How well they manage food safety Major improvement necessary
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 The Chef Imperial Restaurant the inspector recorded concerns over how food is handled, the condition of the premises and confidence in management. 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 The Chef Imperial Restaurant, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Woodstock Pharmacy Retailers - other | at this address | Exempt | |
| Ciao Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 39 yards away | 5 - Very good | 24 February 2026 |
| Back Lane Tavern Pub/bar/nightclub | 42 yards away | 5 - Very good | 7 August 2026 |
| The Tipsy Palace Retailers - other | 46 yards away | 5 - Very good | 20 November 2024 |
| Brothertons Brasserie Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 50 yards away | 5 - Very good | 19 November 2025 |
| The Blenheim Sandwich Co Takeaway/sandwich shop | 58 yards away | 5 - Very good | 20 November 2024 |
| The Blenheim Buttery Hotel/bed & breakfast/guest house | 59 yards away | 5 - Very good | 24 February 2026 |
| The Feathers Hotel Hotel/bed & breakfast/guest house | 60 yards away | 5 - Very good | 12 February 2025 |
Questions about The Chef Imperial Restaurant
What is The Chef Imperial Restaurant's food hygiene rating?
The Chef Imperial Restaurant has a food hygiene rating of 1 out of 5 (major improvement necessary), given by West Oxfordshire Council on 30 July 2026.
Is The Chef Imperial Restaurant safe to eat at?
A 1 means the inspector found problems the business is required to fix. The restaurant 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 The Chef Imperial Restaurant last inspected?
The Chef Imperial Restaurant was last inspected on 30 July 2026, a month ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by West Oxfordshire Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at The Chef Imperial Restaurant?
The inspector scored three areas. Hygienic food handling was rated "improvement necessary", the cleanliness and condition of the building "improvement necessary", and confidence in the management of food safety "major improvement necessary". Lower concern in all three is what earns a high overall rating.
How does The Chef Imperial Restaurant compare to other places in West Oxfordshire?
95% of the 1,017 rated food businesses in West Oxfordshire hold the top rating of 5, while The Chef Imperial Restaurant holds a 1. 5 places in the area share that rating.
Who decides the rating?
West Oxfordshire Council inspects The Chef Imperial Restaurant 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 The Chef Imperial Restaurant 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 1 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 West Oxfordshire, 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: West Oxfordshire
Understanding this rating
More food hygiene ratings near here
The Chef Imperial Restaurant is one of 49 rated food businesses in Woodstock. See every hygiene rating in Woodstock →
West Oxfordshire inspects and rates 1,130 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in West Oxfordshire →
The official record is held by the council: http://www.westoxon.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 →