Clean Plates or Dirty Dishes?

This Week’s Central Virginia Health District Food Establishment Inspection Scores

According to the Central Virginia Health District, inspectors conducted 46 food establishment inspections between May 13-19. These included 36 routine inspections, 6 follow-ups, 1 Pre-Opening and 1 Other.

Six Establishments had Zero Violations

Here’s a quick breakdown of the remainder of the results:

• Seven establishments had one violation.
• Four had two violations.
• Six had three violations.
• Five had four violations.
• Four had five violations.
• Kenny's Restaurant on Fort Avenue had eight violations.

Kenny's Restaurant

The recent inspection of Kenny’s revealed several, many of which were addressed promptly during the visit. One immediate concern was the lack of hand-drying provisions at the primary handwashing sink in the kitchen and dishwashing area. With no paper towels available and no functioning air dryer, the inspector was unable to wash their hands properly at the start of the inspection. Staff corrected this quickly by placing a roll of paper towels nearby, but the incident underscored the need for consistent hand hygiene support in food prep and dishwashing zones.

Cross-contamination risks were also flagged. Breading used for raw meats like gizzards, livers, and fish was stored above a tote of onions—a clear violation. Similarly, in-shell eggs were found stored above ready-to-eat foods like hot dogs. These items were moved during the inspection, but the situation highlighted the importance of proper food storage protocols to avoid foodborne illness. Additional violations included improper cold holding, as slices of cheesecake were measured at 47–48°F in a cooler that was running at 51°F. This cooler was considered unsuitable for time-temperature control for safety (TCS) foods and will no longer be used for that purpose until it keeps safe temperatures below 41°F.

Other issues addressed included the lack of date marking on prepared foods, improper thawing of frozen items at room temperature, and the absence of functioning sanitizer test strips, with only expired strips on hand. Staff corrected many of these issues on-site, including reheating improperly thawed chili and moving thawing fish to a walk-in cooler. Management also committed to getting valid test strips within five days and implementing a regular cleaning schedule for surfaces like gaskets, sliding door tracks, and walk-in cooler doors, all of which had visible accumulations of grease, food particles, or dust.

Overall, while the facility showed knowledge of food safety practices and was cooperative during the inspection, the report reflects areas that require more consistent attention to meet Virginia Department of Health standards. A follow-up inspection is scheduled to confirm corrective measures—especially the acquisition of valid sanitizer test strips. The establishment was reminded of the best practices for handwashing, dishwashing, food thermometer usage, and cooking temperature requirements for meats and reheated foods. The valid VDH food permit was noted as posted near the register.

Learn More About Health Department Inspection Articles

If you choose to dive into the details of these listings, please read "Restaurant Health Inspections: What You Can Learn Before Dining Out in Greater Lynchburg," dated May 21, 2024. This story outlines the details of local Health Department Inspections and the results of those reports.

All inspections reported for May 13-19:

The restaurants near the bottom to where there were no violations observed are due to the nature of the inspections including Follow-Up, Other, and Pre-Opening.