Baby cockroach crashes cardiologist Ashok Seth’s dinner at Mumbai 5-star; Tukaram Mundhe tagged

Dr. Seth shared a video showing a baby cockroach on the dining table during dinner on Saturday night, saying the incident ruined their appetite and forced them to leave the restaurant early.

‘Roachie’ joins dinner

Sharing the video on X, Dr. Seth wrote, “Look who came for dinner unexpectedly. ‘Roachie’ - a baby cockroach was on our table wanting to share our dinner at the Romano restaurant at JW Marriott, Sahar, Mumbai, Saturday night!!! Despite our persuasion, ‘Roachie’ refused to leave. Maybe wanted Piazza and not Pasta.”

“But he really took our appetite away. We left,” he added.

Dr. Seth then tagged Mundhe, referring to the FDA chief's ongoing food safety enforcement drive in Maharashtra.

“Thankfully we are in Mr Munde’s territory and he most likely will look into this also,” he wrote.

Marriott responds

Marriott responded to Dr. Seth's post by requesting further details so that the matter could be investigated.

The incident has also drawn public attention to hygiene standards at restaurants and other food establishments, including upscale dining venues.

Mundhe’s food safety crackdown

Since taking charge as Maharashtra’s FDA Commissioner in May 2026, IAS officer Tukaram Mundhe has led a statewide enforcement drive against food adulteration and violations of food safety norms.

The campaign has involved inspections and raids at dairies, restaurants, hotels, street-food establishments, manufacturers, wholesalers and retailers. Enforcement action has included seizures, arrests, licence suspensions and prosecutions.

The FDA has also intensified checks against milk adulteration, banned gutkha and pan masala, unhygienic kitchens, and mislabelled or substandard food products.

The department has said the drive is aimed at strengthening compliance with food safety laws and protecting public health, with Mundhe stressing that businesses must adhere to the prescribed norms.