Chens Garden
Last inspected: Mar 4, 2026
41
Score
Going back to 2022, Chens Garden has six inspections in the public record. The latest inspection on file is from Mar 4, 2026. A high risk tier suggests the facility had a rough recent inspection, with multiple violations on record.
Things are looking better lately, with recent visits averaging around seven violations compared to roughly 12 violations earlier on.
“Employee with no hair restraint while engaging” accounts for the largest share of issues, appearing three times across the record.
Chens Garden's latest score of 41 falls below the Hernando average of 79. There are enough flags in the record to merit a second thought.
6
Inspections
4
Critical latest
0
Major latest
6
Minor latest
Inspection History
Mar 4, 2026
Food-Licensing Inspection
4 critical violations. 6 minor violations.
View 10 violations
High Priority - Food placed in soiled container/equipment. Cooked chicken placed in cardboard box that previously contained raw chicken
08B-27-4
High Priority - Live, small flying insects found 1 live fly in dining room on table. Operator was able to eliminate fly and sanitize table. **Corrected On-Site**
35A-02-7
High Priority - Time/temperature control for safety food cold held at greater than 41 degrees Fahrenheit. Operator states items were prepared yesterday, removed from cooler at approximately 11:30am and placed on counter during lunch service. Discussed using time as a public health control with operator and had food moved to walk in freezer to rapidly chill. fried chicken (56F - Cold Holding); fried rice (71F - Cold Holding)
03A-02-5
High Priority - Employee touched face/hair and then engaged in food preparation, handled clean equipment or utensils, or touched unwrapped single-service items without washing hands. Employee touched face with bare hand then picked up clean utensil.
12A-25-4
Basic - Employee with no hair restraint while engaging in food preparation. Employee preparing food without hair restraints
13-03-4
Basic - Employee beverage container on a food preparation table or over/next to clean equipment/utensils. Opened employee soda can stored on prep table behind 3 compartment sink
12B-07-4
Basic - Ceiling not smooth, nonabsorbent and easily cleanable in food preparation, food storage, or warewashing areas. Multiple acoustic ceiling tiles in cook line area
36-37-5
Basic - Unwashed fruits/vegetables stored with ready-to-eat food. Multiple containers of unwashed produce stored over cooked meats and washed/cut vegetables in walk in cooler
08B-17-4
Basic - Reach-in cooler interior/shelves have accumulation of soil residues. Interior of reach in cooler in cook line area soiled
22-16-4
Basic - Nonfood-contact surface soiled with food debris, dust. Walk in cooler shelves Walk in cooler fan guards
23-03-4
41
Jun 27, 2025
Food-Licensing Inspection
2 critical violations. 1 major violation. 1 minor violation.
View 4 violations
High Priority - Toxic substance/chemical improperly stored. Cigarettes and lighter stored on reach in cooler in cook line area. Operator removed. **Corrected On-Site**
41-10-4
High Priority - Establishment using a sanitizer solution that does not meet the requirements specified in 40 CFR 180. Only use single-service items to serve food to customers until approved sanitizer is available for warewashing. Establishment is using unapproved chlorine sanitizer. Operator purchased approved chlorine sanitizer during inspection. **Corrected On-Site** **Admin Complaint**
22-48-5
Intermediate - Ready-to-eat, time/temperature control for safety food prepared onsite and held more than 24 hours not properly date marked. Multiple items in walk in cooler including cooked meats
02C-02-5
Basic - Food stored on floor. Raw chicken and raw shrimp in containers on floor in walk in cooler. Operator moved to shelf. **Corrected On-Site**
08B-38-4
64
Mar 28, 2024
Routine - Food
2 critical violations. 1 major violation. 3 minor violations.
View 6 violations
Hands Clean and Properly Washed
FL-08
Certified Food Manager Identification
FL-02
Required Records Available; Shellstock Tags/Labels
FL-14
Food Contact Surfaces Clean and Sanitized
FL-22
Equipment, Food and Non-Food Contact Surfaces Approved
FL-35
Food and Non-Food Contact Surfaces Designed and Constructed
FL-50
58
Nov 28, 2023
Routine - Food
2 critical violations. 1 major violation. 7 minor violations.
View 10 violations
High Priority - Employee washed hands with no soap. Discussed with employee who then washed hands with soap **Corrective Action Taken**
12A-20-4
High Priority - Toxic substance/chemical improperly stored. Employee cigarettes and lighter stored on top of reach in cooler in tray with sauces. Operator removed. **Corrected On-Site**
41-10-4
Intermediate - Employee washed hands in a sink other than an approved handwash sink. Employee rinsed hands in 3 compartment sink after touching raw beef. Discussed with Employee who then washed hands properly in hand wash sink. **Corrective Action Taken**
12A-03-4
Basic - Cardboard used on floor as anti-slip measure not replaced every day or when heavily soiled, whichever comes first. Walk in freezer
36-06-4
Basic - Stored food not covered. Multiple items in walk in freezer
08B-12-5
Basic - Nonfood-contact surface soiled with grease, food debris, dirt, slime or dust. Walk in cooler fan guards Walk in cooler shelves Gaskets on both reach in coolers
23-03-4
Basic - In-use utensil stored in standing water less than 135 degrees Fahrenheit. Utensils in 85F water. Operator removed utensils to be washed. **Corrective Action Taken**
10-07-4
Basic - Ice buildup in reach-in freezer.
14-69-4
Basic - Employee with no hair restraint while engaging in food preparation. Employee in prep area
13-03-4
Basic - Employee personal items stored in or above a food preparation area, food, clean equipment and utensils, or single-service items. Employee cell phone and keys on reach in cooler. Operator removed items. **Corrected On-Site**
40-06-5
47
Aug 25, 2023
Routine - Food
1 major violation. 1 minor violation.
View 2 violations
Certified Food Manager Identification
FL-02
Hands Clean and Properly Washed
FL-08
86
Aug 3, 2022
Routine - Food
6 critical violations. 4 major violations. 14 minor violations.
View 24 violations
High Priority - Wiping cloth sanitizer solution exceeds the maximum concentration allowed. Chlorine sanitizer bucket over 200ppm, operator made fresh bucket. 50ppm. **Corrected On-Site**
41-27-4
High Priority - Time/temperature control for safety food, other than whole meat roast, hot held at less than 135 degrees Fahrenheit. fried rice prepped 8/2 (70F - Hot holding) see stop sale. fried tofu (103F - Hot Holding) operator reheated tofu, served the tofu to the customer before a recheck temperature could be taken **Repeat Violation**
03B-01-6
High Priority - Time/temperature control for safety food cold held at greater than 41 degrees Fahrenheit. fried chicken (63F - Cold Holding) recheck 30F raw beef (47F - Cold Holding) operator moved item to walk in cooler, when rechecking temperature the operator could not locate the product. wontons prepped 8/2 (44F - Cold Holding) recheck 43 **Corrective Action Taken** **Repeat Violation**
03A-02-5
High Priority - Stop Sale issued on time/temperature control for safety food due to temperature abuse. fried rice prepped 8/2
01B-02-5
High Priority - Raw animal food stored over/not properly separated from ready-to-eat food. Raw chicken wings stored over fried chicken. Operator corrected storage shelves. **Corrected On-Site**
08A-05-6
High Priority - Container of medicine improperly stored. Eye drops stored in pan on cook line.
41-07-4
Intermediate - No probe thermometer provided to measure temperature of food products.
05-08-4
Intermediate - No soap provided at handwash sink. Hand wash sink in women's restroom. Operator refilled soap dispenser. **Corrected On-Site** **Repeat Violation**
31B-03-4
Intermediate - Ready-to-eat, time/temperature control for safety food prepared onsite and held more than 24 hours not properly date marked. Egg rolls prepped 8/2 in walk in cooler **Repeat Violation**
02C-02-5
Intermediate - Water with a temperature of at least 100 degrees Fahrenheit not provided/shut off at employee handwash sink. 92F at hand wash sink in women's restroom
27-16-4
Basic - Bathroom facility not clean. Men's restroom has objectionable odor and is unclean.
32-07-4
Basic - Cardboard used to line food-contact dry storage rack. Storage racks in back prep area are constructed of raw wood. Multiple items in to go bags in walk in freezer Bulk flour in non food grade containers Pork in to go bags walk in cooler **Repeat Violation**
14-05-4
Basic - Ceiling not smooth, nonabsorbent and easily cleanable in food preparation, food storage, or warewashing areas. Acoustic ceiling tiles in kitchen area
36-37-5
Basic - Clean utensils or equipment stored on dirty rack. Magnetic knife strip soiled. Operator removed utensils to be washed. **Corrective Action Taken**
24-06-4
Basic - Employee personal food not properly identified and segregated from food to be served to the public. In walk in cooler
08B-49-4
Basic - Employee personal items stored in or above a food preparation area, food, clean equipment and utensils, or single-service items. Employee cell phone on make line cooler. Operator removed. **Corrected On-Site**
40-06-5
Basic - Employee with no hair restraint while engaging in food preparation. Male employee preparing food. Operator had food employees put on hair restraints. **Corrected On-Site** **Repeat Violation**
13-03-4
Basic - Food storage container cracked or broken. Red tub storing fried chicken Interior of rice warmer damaged **Repeat Violation**
14-38-4
Basic - Ice buildup in reach-in freezer. Reach in freezer on cook line
14-69-4
Basic - Nonfood-contact surface soiled with grease, food debris. Gaskets on reach in cooler at cook line **Repeat Violation**
23-03-4
Basic - Open dumpster lid.
33-16-4
Basic - Reuse of single-service or single-use articles. Plastic jug used as scoop for rice **Repeat Violation**
25-32-4
Basic - Unwashed fruits/vegetables stored with ready-to-eat food. Snow peas stored above cooked pasta in walk in cooler. Operator corrected storage shelves. Multiple items in walk in cooler uncovered. Operator wrapped items with plastic wrap. Fried chicken on bakers rack placed in soiled cardboard boxes. Operator removed chicken from cardboard. Shrimp and pasta in walk in cooler stored on the floor. Operator moved items to shelf in walk in cooler. **Corrected On-Site**
08B-17-4
Basic - Wet mop not stored in a manner to allow the mop to dry. Operator hung mop to dry **Corrected On-Site**
42-01-4
14
Frequently Asked Questions
When was Chens Garden last inspected?
The most recent health inspection at Chens Garden on file is from Mar 4, 2026. The public record contains six inspections in total.
What is the most common violation at Chens Garden?
Across the inspection record, “employee with no hair restraint while engaging” has been cited three times, more than any other issue at Chens Garden.
How does Chens Garden compare to other restaurants in Hernando?
Chens Garden most recently scored 41 out of 100, which is lower than the Hernando average of 79.
Has Chens Garden's inspection record improved over time?
Yes. Recent inspections at Chens Garden have averaged around seven violations per visit, down from roughly 12 earlier in the record.
What does a high risk rating mean?
A high risk rating at Chens Garden means the most recent inspection flagged either critical violations or a substantial number of smaller ones. Diners may want to read the violation details before deciding to visit.
How often is Chens Garden inspected?
Based on the inspection history on file, Chens Garden is inspected around two times per year on average.
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