The Food Standards Agency has given White & Case's London canteen a hygiene rating of one out of five, the second worst score possible.

The FSA assesses hygiene by inspecting how food is handled, the measures taken to keep it safe and the cleanliness of the kitchen. Upon discovering that White & Case's meals are basically being prepared by plague rats and stored in a hot toilet, it awarded the firm's restaurant one point, ruling "MAJOR IMPROVEMENT NECESSARY".

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An email pointing out the verdict has been doing the rounds at the firm. A source told RollOnFriday, "I just thought the food tasted bad. I didn't realise it came with extra bacterial flavouring". He said it wasn't all sweetness and light at his previous firm, but "at least they weren't actively trying to poison people", adding, "we're even expected to feed this rubbish to clients". It is fairly incredible that a business of White & Case's stature is serving chemical warfare: all the Magic Circle firms score five, except Slaughters, which scored four.

RollOnFriday understands that White and Case disagreed with, and challenged, the 1/5 rating. But to no avail. A spokesman said, "We work with our catering supplier to ensure the highest standards of hygiene are maintained at all times and in all aspects of the catering service provided in the London office. Our caterers use strict, best practice processes and procedures in relation to hygiene to support the delivery of a high quality service”.

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