'It was devastating': the team behind Dosa Kingss on rebuilding local trust
For the first time since an incident at Dosa Kingss in September, married couple and business owners Saranya and Ramesh Natarajan have spoken publicly about what happened – and about the emotional toll it took on their family-run Sale restaurant.
In an exclusive interview with Life in Sale, the pair discussed the events of that day, the misinformation that followed online and the extensive steps they have taken to ensure something similar can never happen again.
What happened
Dosa Kingss, which opened in Sale just over two years ago, had built a loyal following for its traditional South Indian food. The incident occurred during an annual festival celebration, when the restaurant was serving a special festive menu prepared and presented traditionally. The restaurant had three separate group bookings on Saturday 06 September.
“One of the dishes contained yam – something we’ve prepared before as part of authentic celebrations,” Saranya explained. “One customer said they felt something ‘different’. Initially it presented as an itchiness or prickly sensation in the throat, which can happen with certain types of yam.”
Some varieties of yams naturally contain compounds that can cause a temporary itching or burning sensation in the mouth and throat, particularly if someone is sensitive to them. This is not the same as a food allergy, but in a busy, celebratory setting, concern spread quickly between tables.
“One person, who had a pre-existing health condition, had more severe symptoms and, as a precaution, paramedics were called,” Ramesh said. “At that point, everything escalated very fast. Emergency services understandably treated it seriously – they checked the building, looked for gas leaks, which they immediately ruled out.
One customer was taken to hospital as a precaution, while others were monitored at the restaurant with their contact details taken so follow-ups could be made.
“I was terrified,” Saranya said. “Since we started the business, nothing like this had ever happened. I was so worried.”
Immediate action and council involvement
Following protocols, Trafford Council’s Environmental Health team attended the restaurant that day and an investigation began immediately. The restaurant voluntarily cancelled remaining bookings and closed its doors.
In a statement released at the end of September, a Trafford Council spokesperson said:
“Officers from the Council’s Environmental Health team were on site as soon as they were notified of the incident. An investigation into the cause of the illness commenced immediately and action was taken to ensure the public were protected while the cause was established.
“The restaurant voluntarily closed and officers have been working with the business to ensure a thorough deep clean of the premises was undertaken and food disposed of.”
“21 prepared dishes were taken away as samples,” Ramesh explained. “Then, even when we were told we could reopen sooner, we chose not to. We disposed of everything in the kitchen – all food, ingredients, everything – and started again from a completely clean state.”
The restaurant remained closed for two weeks. When they did reopen on 21 September, Environmental Health officers returned for further inspections and were happy with the steps taken and the standards in place.
“It was so important for us to make sure everything was right before we reopened, ” Saranya said.
They have also permanently removed yam from the menu entirely, giving assurances to the council that it would not be served again, including on both à la carte and buffet menus.
“We didn’t want any grey areas at all,” Ramesh said.
The personal toll on a family business
For the couple, the hardest part was what happened next.
“It was devastating to go through the experience,” Saranya said. “We are a small family business and we’ve put everything into this restaurant.”
Dosa Kingss employs seven full-time members of staff, all of whom were affected by the closure and the uncertainty it caused.
“Mentally, it broke us,” Ramesh admitted. “And then there were things being said online that just weren’t true. We didn’t give a statement at the time because we didn’t think it was right to speak before the investigation was complete – but that meant rumours took hold.”
While some regulars returned immediately when the restaurant reopened, the couple are realistic that others may still feel hesitant.
“We completely understand that for some people, trust takes time,” Saranya said. “We would never dismiss how anyone felt that day.”
“We’d really love to see all our regulars again, especially in the run-up to Christmas and into the new year,” she continued. “Sale has always supported us so warmly since we opened.”
As the festive season approaches, Dosa Kingss is now preparing for its Christmas party menu, running from Tuesday 02 December through to Sunday 04 January – something the couple hope will mark a positive step forward.
To anyone still feeling cautious, their message is simple.
“We have done – and continue to do – everything above standard,” Saranya said. “This was a one-off event, linked to a single annual celebratory meal. We’ve taken every possible step to make sure it can’t happen again.”
The couple hope sharing their story will help draw a line under a difficult chapter – and remind people that behind the headlines was a small, local business determined to do the right thing.
For Sale’s foodie fans, Christmas could be the perfect time to return to Dosa Kingss.
📍 Dosa Kingss, 15 Northenden Road, Sale M33 2DH
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