By: Robert Dewey | [email protected]

Merriam, KS

Chili’s Bar and Grill in Merriam

5880 ANTIOCH
MERRIAM, KS 66202
972-966-2221

The Kansas of Agriculture’s Bureau of Food Safety and Laboratory Services conducted an unannounced retail food inspection on February 3, 2020, following receipt of a complaint. As a result of that inspection, and due to the severity of the specific violations the Chili’s Bar and Grill was cited as being, “Out of Compliance” with Kansas food safety regulations. During this inspection a total of 7 violations were found.

The inspector made the following comments in support of the violations found during the inspection:

• An employee washed his hands in the prep sink before going back to handling food. Corrected on site: Educated on using the approved hand washing sink when washing hands to prevent cross contamination.
• Person washing dishes went from handling dirty dishes to unloading clean dishes without a hand wash. Corrected on site: Educated, rewashed items.
• In the walk in cooler, on a speed rack on sheet pans, vacuum sealed raw beef rib eyes were stored over bags of cooked, ready to eat mashed potatoes. No leakage evident. Corrected on site: Educated, rearranged the cooler.
• Grated cheese held at 55’F in an ice bath at the wait staff area in the kitchen. The ice bath was touching the bottom of the metal pan that held the cheese. The cheese had been out for less than four hours. Corrected on site: More ice and water added to fully cover the pan holding the cheese. Cooked onions were holding at 46’F with no cold holding provisions on the countertop of a make table. The onions had been out of refrigeration for less than an hour. Corrected on site: Educated, moved onions to a reach in cooler, discussed keeping the cooked onions under temperature control. In the countertop reach in cooler, an opened gallon jug of milk temped at 50’F. The milk had been in the cooler overnight. Corrected on site: Voluntary disposal of the food, inspector recommends storing milk in a different cooler.
• One melted spatula was put away as clean and usable in the clean dish area. It is no longer easily cleanable. Corrected on site: Voluntary disposal of the item. The handles of the mesh strainers used in the fryer area are wrapped in fraying plastic wrap. This is not easily cleanable.
• There were fifteen dishes stored as clean in the clean dish area with visible accumulations of dried on food debris on the food contact surfaces. Corrected on site: Moved to be rewashed.
• A spray can of stainless steel polish was stored on the same wooden shelf as single use gloves in the kitchen. No leakage evident. Corrected on site: Moved the chemicals.