Unwashed hands get Cheesecake Factory at Perimeter Mall failing score

DEKALB COUNTY, Ga. — Face sweat, unwashed hands and gnats are just a few of the reasons the Cheesecake Factory in Perimeter Mall failed its recent health inspection.

The popular chain on Ashford Dunwoody Road received a 57 during its inspection Wednesday by the DeKalb County health department. Anything below 70 is considered failing.

Inspectors noted an employee failed to wash their hands between tasks. The bespectacled employee wearing gloves adjusted their glasses, wiped sweat from their face and grabbed a hamburger bun without removing the gloves or washing their hands, according to the inspection report.

The same employee then grabbed raw chicken breast to place in a fryer — again without washing their hands.

The buns and chicken breasts were thrown away.

Inspectors also found employees’ personal items stored in the cooking area and gnats flying in the kitchen. One employee’s cellphone was found with the seasonings in the food preparation area, according to the report. Another employee’s beverage was found in front of the cold well on a cutting board at the salad station.

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Other violations included dried food found on supposedly clean dishes, and employees — including a manager in training — wearing jewelry while handling food and food pans.

April Damian, general manager of the restaurant, said much of the staff is new and in transition, but they are training them to avoid future violations.

“We’re very upset that we let the public down,” she told the The Atlanta Journal-Constitution on Friday, “and we are working very hard with our staff.”

Alethea Rowe, spokeswoman for Cheesecake Factory Incorporated, echoed Damian’s comments and assured customers they are working to resolve the issues found during the health inspection.

“We take food safety and sanitation very seriously and are committed to providing a safe dining experience to all of our guests,” she said in an emailed statement to the AJC. “The restaurant took immediate corrective action to fix deficiencies identified during the inspection. We are working closely with the health department and are in the process of conducting reinforcement training with all staff members.”

The restaurant received a 97 on its previous inspection in December.

Read the full health inspection report here.

Cox Media Group