A Cambridgeshire restaurant owner has taken a novel approach to combating negative online reviews, using CCTV footage to fact-check and publicly refute false claims. Jackie Wan, owner and head chef of The Forum in Great Shelford, has run the Chinese restaurant for 11 years and is fighting back against what he calls 'dishonest' reviews on platforms like TripAdvisor, Google, and Facebook.
In one recent case, a customer left a one-star review complaining that a £15 sizzling prawns dish contained only four prawns. Wan launched a week-long investigation, combing through CCTV footage to track every bite. He posted a detailed rebuttal with timestamps, proving the customer had eaten seven prawns—the standard portion. 'From my limited calculating skills, I got seven pieces,' he wrote, adding, 'Have you forgotten the three pieces your partner had?'
Wan also addressed complaints about rice portions, calculating that the couple had eaten 16 spoonfuls, well above the standard 220g serving. He concluded his response with a warning: 'I sincerely hope this would be a good lesson for any future 'Karen', we do investigate, and we do have CCTV all around. You must be honest to share genuine reviews.'
The chef has similarly clapped back at other reviewers, including a customer who complained about paying for extra chilli oil. 'Try asking for peppercorn sauce when ordering a steak in any steak house and see what happens,' he replied. In another instance, a family was asked to leave after their toddler was visibly sick; Wan revealed CCTV showed other diners applauding as they exited.
Wan, 46, was born in Hong Kong and trained there before moving to the UK as a teenager, working in kitchens at luxury Hyatt hotels in London. He told The Times he only reviews CCTV if a complaint doesn't match his or his staff's recollection, or if the issue is raised days or weeks later. 'If there are issues on our side... then of course we try and make up for it,' he said. 'But there are some customers that it doesn't matter what you do, you cannot please them.' The Forum currently holds a 4.6 average on Google and 4.5 on TripAdvisor.
