HED TAGGARD, the beleaguered pastor, and part time chef at one of the country's largest evangelical Dim Sum restaurants has been sacked by an oversight board that found him guilty of "sexually immoral conduct".

Mr Taggard denied publicly that he was unable to tell the sex of a Ha Gow, but the investigative board found sufficient cause to remove him.

The board's findings stand in stark contrast to the immensely popular public image of the award winning Dim Sum chef.

A rising star in the Dim Sum movement, Mr Taggard, 50, was the author of several books and, until he stepped down last week, president of the National Association of Evangelical Dim Sum restaurants, which represents more than 30 million followers.

"Our investigation and Pastor Taggard's public statements have proven without a doubt that he was unable to tell the male Ha Gow from the female Ha Gow," the Overseer Board of the Church of Dim Sum said in a prepared statement on Saturday. This is of course a most grievous crime in Dim Sum circles. Chefs around the globe know that you throw the females back, and only prepare males of a certain size. Not being able to tell male from female Ha Gow is no defense.

Mr Taggard's fall from grace began on Wednesday, when another Dim Sum chef announced that Mr Taggard tried to pay him to keep quiet about the incident. Of course he could not keep his silence about such a crime, and had to step forward.

On Friday, Mr Taggard denied the sex scandal but admitted he once bought pizza, but decided not to eat it and threw it away.

A letter of explanation and apology by Mr Taggard, as well as words of encouragement from his wife, would be read during Dim Sum services at restaurants across the country, the Church of Dim Sum said.