CHEN'S KITCHEN
7056 WATERSET BLVD, Apollo Beach FL 33572 · 407-730-4060
Last inspected Apr 16, 2026 · 6 visits since December 2024
DEC 24
MAY 25
MAY 25
DEC 25
APR 26
≈ ERRATIC
5 inspections, swinging between A and F. Consistency is the problem here, not any single visit.
Employee touching ready-to-eat food with their bare hands - food was not being heated as a sole ingredient to 145 degrees F or immediately added to other ingredients to be cooked/heated to the minimum required temperature to allow bare hand contact. Establishment has no approved Alternative Operating Procedure. Observed employee touch cut lettuce and cooked chicken with bare hands.
★ Spotless◆ Clean streak● Perfect year✓ Never fined
Awarded on the inspection record alone. What they mean →
Inspection history
6 visits, newest first
Apr 16, 2026Inspection Completed - No Further ActionRoutine Inspection
Met inspection standards. 15 violations recorded, none serious enough to require a return visit.
2 High priority3 Intermediate10 Basic
What the inspector wrote — 15 findingsThe state's own report →
Dented/rusted cans present. See stop sale. 6 dented cans of Hoisin sauce, 1 dented can of baby corn, 1 dented can of oyster sauce in dry storage.
Raw animal food stored over/not properly separated from ready-to-eat food. Raw beef over cooked chicken in reach in cooler. Manager removed chicken at time of inspection.
Food-contact surface soiled with food debris, mold-like substance or slime. Cutting board on prep cooler.
Handwash sink not accessible for employee use at all times. Bowl in hand wash sink, removed at time of inspection.
Show the remaining 11 findings ▾
No paper towels or mechanical hand drying device provided at handwash sink. Replaced at time of inspection.
Bowl or other container with no handle used to dispense food. Bowl with no handle in salt, manager removed at time of inspection.
Cutting board has cut marks and is no longer cleanable. Cutting board on prep cooler.
Employee personal items stored in or above a food preparation area, food, clean equipment and utensils, or single-service items. Employee phone above reach in cooler.
Employee with no hair restraint while engaging in food preparation. Observed employee prepping food with no hair restraint.
Equipment and utensils not properly air-dried - wet nesting. Containers wet nesting above 3 compartment sink.
Floor soiled/has accumulation of debris. Near 3 compartment sink
Food stored on floor. Fryer oil on floor.
Nonfood-contact surface soiled with grease, food debris, dirt, slime or dust. Hood filters.
Unwrapped single-service utensils not presented so that only the handles are touched. Plastic forks and spoons not all facing the same direction.
Wet wiping cloth not stored in sanitizing solution between uses. Wet wiping cloth on prep table.
Dec 9, 2025Inspection Completed - No Further ActionRoutine Inspection
Met inspection standards. 23 violations recorded, none serious enough to require a return visit.
4 High priority4 Intermediate15 Basic
Show 23 findings ▾
Employee began working with food, handling clean equipment or utensils, or touching unwrapped single-service items without first washing hands. Employee began working with food without washing hands.
Raw animal food stored over/not properly separated from ready-to-eat food. Raw beef over cooked chicken in reach in cooler across from fryers.
Time/temperature control for safety food cold held at greater than 41 degrees Fahrenheit. Cut lettuce 68 F sitting out on prep table on cook line for 2 hours, manager placed in walk in cooler.
Time/temperature control for safety food identified in the written procedure as a food held using time as a public health control has no time marking and the time removed from temperature control cannot be determined. No time mark on chicken and egg rolls held on time. Employee time marked at time of inspection.
Food-contact surface soiled with food debris, mold-like substance or slime. Cutting boards. Old food residue on prep table next to rice cooker.
Handwash sink not accessible for employee use at all times. Sani bucket in hand wash sink, employee removed at time of inspection.
Ready-to-eat, time/temperature control for safety food prepared onsite and held more than 24 hours not properly date marked. Ribs in reach in cooler not date marked.
Water with a temperature of least 85 degrees Fahrenheit not provided/shut off at employee handwash sink. Hand wash sink near register temped 79 F, ran approximately 2 minutes.
Bowl or other container with no handle used to dispense food. Bowls with no handle in sugar. Employee removed at time of inspection.
Cutting board has cut marks and is no longer cleanable. Cutting boards.
Employee personal items stored in or above a food preparation area, food, clean equipment and utensils, or single-service items. Employee hat above prep cooler.
Food stored on floor. Fryer oil on floor, employee removed at time of inspection.
In-use knife/knives stored in cracks between pieces of equipment. Knife between reach in cooler and prep table.
Interior of oven/microwave has accumulation of black substance/grease/food debris. Microwave.
Nonfood-contact surface soiled with grease, food debris, dirt, slime or dust. Hood filters.
Reuse of single-service or single-use articles. Observed employee use half cut up single service gallon to scoop rice.
Single-service articles not stored inverted or protected from contamination. To go boxes not inverted on dry storage rack.
Unwrapped single-service utensils not presented so that only the handles are touched. Plastic forks and spoons not all facing the same direction.
Wet mop not stored in a manner to allow the mop to dry.
Wet wiping cloth not stored in sanitizing solution between uses.
Wet wiping cloths stored in detergent and sanitizer mixed together. Manager remade sanitizer bucket tested 50 ppm chlorine.
Wiping cloth sanitizing solution stored on the floor. Sanitizer bucket on floor.
Working containers of food removed from original container not identified by common name. Container of flour not labeled. Manager labeled at time of inspection.
May 27, 2025□ Call Back - CompliedRoutine Inspection
A return visit. The problems from the previous inspection had been dealt with.
4 High priority2 Intermediate10 Basic
Show 16 findings ▾
Dented/rusted cans present. See stop sale. 4 dented cans of oyster sauce.
Employee touching ready-to-eat food with their bare hands - food was not being heated as a sole ingredient to 145 degrees F or immediately added to other ingredients to be cooked/heated to the minimum required temperature to allow bare hand contact. Establishment has no approved Alternative Operating Procedure. Observed employee touch cut lettuce and cooked chicken with bare hands.
Time/temperature control for safety food cold held at greater than 41 degrees Fahrenheit. Cut lettuce 62 F on counter, employee placed in walk in cooler.
Time/temperature control for safety food, other than whole meat roast, hot held at less than 135 degrees Fahrenheit. Broccoli 88 F, chicken 117 F- retemp 165 F on counter. Employee reheated chicken.
Handwash sink not accessible for employee use at all times. Sanitizer bucket in handwash sink, employee removed at time of inspection.
Ready-to-eat, time/temperature control for safety food prepared onsite and held more than 24 hours not properly date marked. Multiple food items in reach in cooler on cook line not date marked.
Bowl or other container with no handle used to dispense food. Bowl with no handkerchief in sugar, employee removed.
Employee personal food not properly identified and segregated from food to be served to the public. Employee food in reach in cooler with chicken, employee removed at time of inspection.
Employee personal items stored in or above a food preparation area, food, clean equipment and utensils, or single-service items. Employee phone on prep table.
Floor soiled/has accumulation of debris. Throughout kitchen.
Food stored on floor. Meat on floor in walk in cooler. Oil on floor on cook line.
Interior of oven/microwave has accumulation of black substance/grease/food debris. Microwave
Nonfood-contact surface soiled with grease, food debris, dirt, slime or dust. Hood filters.
Wet wiping cloth not stored in sanitizing solution between uses. Wet wiping cloths on prep table through out establishment.
Wiping cloth chlorine sanitizing solution not at proper minimum strength. Sanitizer bucket tested 0 ppm chlorine, employee removed at remade tested 50 ppm.
Working containers of food removed from original container not identified by common name. Container of sugar not labeled, employee removed at labeled at time of inspection.
May 12, 2025Inspection Completed - No Further ActionComplaint Investigation (Partial)
Met inspection standards. 3 violations recorded, none serious enough to require a return visit.
1 High priority2 Intermediate0 Basic
Show 3 findings ▾
Employee touched soiled surface and then engaged in food preparation, handled clean equipment or utensils, or touched unwrapped single-service items without washing hands. Observed employee remove sanitizer bucket from handwash sink and clean out handwash sink then begin food prep without washing hands.
Handwash sink not accessible for employee use at all times. Sanitizer bucket in handwash sink. Employee removed at time of inspection.
No proof of required state approved employee training provided for any employees. To order approved program food safety material, call DBPR contracted provider: Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association (SafeStaff) 866-372-7233. On callback from inspection completed on 5/5/2025.
May 5, 2025Warning IssuedRoutine Inspection
Violations found and a warning issued, with a return visit required. 17 recorded, 4 high priority.
4 High priority3 Intermediate10 Basic
Show 17 findings ▾
Dented/rusted cans present. See stop sale. 4 dented cans of oyster sauce.
Employee touching ready-to-eat food with their bare hands - food was not being heated as a sole ingredient to 145 degrees F or immediately added to other ingredients to be cooked/heated to the minimum required temperature to allow bare hand contact. Establishment has no approved Alternative Operating Procedure. Observed employee touch cut lettuce and cooked chicken with bare hands.
Time/temperature control for safety food cold held at greater than 41 degrees Fahrenheit. Cut lettuce 62 F on counter, employee placed in walk in cooler.
Time/temperature control for safety food, other than whole meat roast, hot held at less than 135 degrees Fahrenheit. Broccoli 88 F, chicken 117 F- retemp 165 F on counter. Employee reheated chicken.
Handwash sink not accessible for employee use at all times. Sanitizer bucket in handwash sink, employee removed at time of inspection.
No proof of required state approved employee training provided for any employees. To order approved program food safety material, call DBPR contracted provider: Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association (SafeStaff) 866-372-7233.
Ready-to-eat, time/temperature control for safety food prepared onsite and held more than 24 hours not properly date marked. Multiple food items in reach in cooler on cook line not date marked.
Bowl or other container with no handle used to dispense food. Bowl with no handkerchief in sugar, employee removed.
Employee personal food not properly identified and segregated from food to be served to the public. Employee food in reach in cooler with chicken, employee removed at time of inspection.
Employee personal items stored in or above a food preparation area, food, clean equipment and utensils, or single-service items. Employee phone on prep table.
Floor soiled/has accumulation of debris. Throughout kitchen.
Food stored on floor. Meat on floor in walk in cooler. Oil on floor on cook line.
Interior of oven/microwave has accumulation of black substance/grease/food debris. Microwave
Nonfood-contact surface soiled with grease, food debris, dirt, slime or dust. Hood filters.
Wet wiping cloth not stored in sanitizing solution between uses. Wet wiping cloths on prep table through out establishment.
Wiping cloth chlorine sanitizing solution not at proper minimum strength. Sanitizer bucket tested 0 ppm chlorine, employee removed at remade tested 50 ppm.
Working containers of food removed from original container not identified by common name. Container of sugar not labeled, employee removed at labeled at time of inspection.
Dec 9, 2024Inspection Completed - No Further ActionLicensing Inspection
Met inspection standards. 2 violations recorded, none serious enough to require a return visit.
0 High priority1 Intermediate1 Basic
Show 2 findings ▾
No chemical test kit provided when using sanitizer at three-compartment sink/warewashing machine or wiping cloths. For chlorine.
Wet mop not stored in a manner to allow the mop to dry. Operator hung at time of inspection.
This record follows the licence, not the owner. Restaurants change hands and the licence history normally does not, so an older entry may describe people who no longer run the place. Every inspection above links to the state's own report. Something wrong? Tell us.