Chef’s Bite in Sturgeon County closed by Alberta Health Services

Chef’s Bite was recently closed after an executive officer of Alberta Health Services (AHS) inspected the establishment.

The inspector found more than 15 violations at Chef’s Bite — located on Highway 651 in Sturgeon County — that could be injurious or dangerous to public health.

“Extensive mouse droppings are present in the facility indicating rodent infestation,” reads the written order from the AHS.

“Mouse droppings are present on the preparation counters,” the order continued, and “on top and underneath of the meat slicer, in all kitchen cabinets, underneath the kitchen cabinets, inside clean dishes, on the lids of all bulk food containers, and on the floor.”

Rodent poison was noted to have been found next to reusable dishes, the order stated.

This closure order from the AHS was dated October 5, with a verbal order given on October 3.

There were many other instances of unhealthy conditions found by the inspector including “hand hygiene is observed not being performed between food handling tasks.”

“The low temperature dishwasher is not dispensing chlorine,” said the AHS order.

The report also said that food handlers are unaware of food safety procedures.

“Unsafe food handling practices by the staff is observed such as hand hygiene, improper food and personal belonging storage, general unawareness of safe food temperatures, etc.”

Before the restaurant can reopen, the owner will have to undertake and diligently pursue the completion of several work-related changes, like a licensed pest control company must be contacted for re-mediation purposes, for the prevention of entry and harborage of rodents.

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There were also several safety and cleanliness changes to be made before reopening: food handlers must wash their hands in between tasks, before putting gloves on, and after taking them off, before handling clean dishes and after handling dirty dishes, before handling ready-to-eat food items and after handling raw meat, after rest and smoke breaks, eating and any other times when hands may become contaminated.

The current status of the order on the AHS website is active, meaning it is “currently in effect and the requirements must be followed before it can reopen.”

Dished has reached out to ownership for comment.

Chef’s Bite

Address: HWY 2 & 651, Legal, AB