A Bengaluru woman has raised concerns over food hygiene after allegedly finding a live caterpillar in food ordered from Paris Panini. Anwesha Majhi shared a photograph and video of what appeared to be a caterpillar in her food on X on August 29, questioning hygiene standards at cafes and saying she was particularly disappointed because she had previously enjoyed Paris Panini’s food. Paris Panini founder Nicolas Grossemy responded publicly, apologising to Majhi and calling the incident “completely unacceptable”.
He said the brand has strict kitchen processes intended to prevent such incidents and asked her to share her order details so he could personally investigate what went wrong and take corrective action. As of August 31, no statement from the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) or any other government food-safety official regarding the specific allegation has been reported. The claim remains based on user-generated social-media content and has not been independently verified.
Founder Promises To Investigate
Majhi’s post quickly drew attention online after she questioned the hygiene standards of cafes, writing that she had allegedly received a “live caterpillar” in her food from Paris Panini. She described the experience as particularly upsetting because she had liked the restaurant’s food previously. The post included a photograph and a video which she said showed the caterpillar.
Grossemy responded directly to her post, saying he was “extremely sorry” that she had experienced this and that what she received fell “far below the standards” the company sets for itself. He added that the incident was difficult to see because building a food brand customers can trust had been an important part of his work. Rather than dismissing the complaint, Grossemy said he wanted to establish exactly where the order originated and “what went wrong”. He asked Majhi to send her order details privately, promising to trace the failure and take corrective action.
Why Food Hygiene Matters
The incident comes as food delivery and cafe culture continue to become an important part of urban life, making food-safety standards increasingly significant for consumers. Paris Panini, founded by French entrepreneur Nicolas Grossemy, began as a food truck in Bengaluru in 2015 before expanding into a restaurant chain. The brand has since built a sizeable presence in the city, with its food also available through delivery platforms.
Under India’s food-safety framework, restaurants and other food businesses are required to follow prescribed hygiene and sanitary practices. FSSAI says licensed food businesses must maintain a documented Food Safety Management System and comply with Schedule 4, which includes good hygiene and sanitary practices for catering and food-service establishments. The regulator also operates a voluntary Hygiene Rating Scheme intended to help consumers make informed choices and encourage food businesses to improve hygiene standards.
There is currently no reported official finding establishing how the alleged caterpillar entered the food, whether it originated at the restaurant, or whether any regulatory violation occurred. That distinction is important when allegations circulate rapidly online: a consumer’s complaint deserves to be heard and investigated, while conclusions about responsibility should follow evidence.
The Logical Indian’s Perspective
Food safety is not merely about a restaurant’s reputation; it is about the trust consumers place in businesses when they choose to eat food prepared by someone else. A complaint such as this should neither be dismissed because it appears on social media nor treated as proven fact without an investigation.
The response from Paris Panini’s founder acknowledging the customer’s concern, apologising and committing to trace what went wrong is a constructive first step, but meaningful accountability ultimately depends on what the investigation establishes and whether corrective measures follow. At the same time, consumers should be able to raise genuine concerns without fear of being dismissed, mocked or attacked online. How can restaurants and consumers work together to make food safety a shared responsibility rather than simply a reaction after something goes wrong?
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