Failure to Maintain Kitchen Equipment in Sanitary Condition
Penalty
Summary
During an inspection of the facility's kitchen, surveyors observed that essential cooking equipment, including a 4-burner stove, flat top griddle, and grill, were not maintained in a sanitary condition. The stove had a buildup of oil, burnt food particles, and grime on, around, and underneath the burners. The flat top griddle displayed visible layers of grease stains and dark discoloration across its cooking surface, while the grill had old burnt food particles sticking to it. These observations were made during the initial kitchen tour. Interviews with the Director of Kitchen (DOK) and a review of the facility's cleaning logs and policy revealed that the equipment had last been cleaned four days prior, and that deep cleaning was scheduled weekly. The facility's policy required that food contact surfaces be kept free of encrusted grease and accumulated soil, and that non-food contact surfaces be cleaned as often as necessary to prevent buildup. The DOK acknowledged that the policy was not followed, resulting in the unsanitary conditions found during the inspection.