Customer Reports Caterpillar in Paris Panini Order
A Bengaluru woman, Anwesha Majhi, took to social media platform X to report finding a live caterpillar in her meal from Paris Panini, a local cafe chain. Majhi, who said she had previously enjoyed the outlet's food, shared pictures and a video appearing to show the caterpillar, paired with strong criticism of cafe hygiene.
"What is wrong with hygiene these days? It makes me so sad. Cafes are popping up everywhere, but the cleanliness and hygiene are zero out of ten!" she wrote, according to Times Now. She also recalled the incident with visceral disappointment: "I even got a live caterpillar in my food today from Paris Panini! This was the last day at @parispanini @NGrossemy23925. Saddest part is I loved their food."
The post quickly drew public attention, prompting a personal reply from Nicolas Grossemy, the founder of Paris Panini, who apologised to Majhi directly.
Founder Responds with Apology and Commitment to Investigate
Grossemy, addressing Majhi by name, wrote: "I'm extremely sorry you had to experience this. What you received is completely unacceptable and falls far below the standards we set for ourselves," as quoted by both Hindustan Times and Times Now.
He further explained that the incident was particularly troubling because building a brand trusted by customers had been a central focus of his efforts. "We have strict processes in place across our kitchens specifically to prevent something like this from happening. I need to understand exactly where this order came from and what went wrong," he said.
Rather than speculate on the cause, Grossemy said he would not make assumptions without all details and asked Majhi to share her order information privately. "Could you please DM me your order details? I'll look into this personally, trace where the process failed, and make sure the necessary corrective action is taken," he added, as reported by both outlets.
Public Reaction and Broader Conversations
Majhi's post sparked a variety of reactions among other X users, many of whom indicated they had previously ordered from Paris Panini. Some expressed shock and dismay, with one user writing, "You're kidding. I used to order from them too. I definitely did NOT need to see this," according to Hindustan Times. Another commented, "This is one way to make sure I never look at a salad the same way again."
Others responded with humour, referring to the alleged caterpillar as "an additional topping" and "extra protein," as noted in the Hindustan Times report, which also quoted a user saying, "I used to order sandwiches from this place, did not see this coming." Another wrote, "Just kept ordering sandwiches thinking their cleanliness was top-notch."
The exchange coincides with a wider public discussion in Bengaluru about hygiene standards at cafes and restaurants, echoing the customer's own lament about the state of cleanliness. Grossemy has stated that he will investigate the complaint and take corrective action based on what he finds, a promise reported by Hindustan Times.