The Gwinnett, Newton & Rockdale County Health Departments conducted health inspections at various food establishments under their purview on Friday, June 20. One restaurant did not pass the inspection after being cited for 15 violations. The restaurant will face a follow-up inspection after it has rectified all the deficiencies.
Please note that the score mentioned here is from an inspection conducted on June 20 and may not represent the future health inspection status of the food establishment.
Highlights
- Kitchen 121 scored 63 points and failed the health inspection on Friday.
- Inspectors noted issues with management and supervision, handwashing, food storage and handling, temperature control, among others.
- A follow-up inspection has been scheduled for the restaurant.
Health Inspection Summary for Kitchen 121
- Where: 1611 Satellite Blvd #17 Duluth, GA 30097
- When: June 20, 2025
- Score: 63 (U)
On Friday, Inspectors from the health department visited Kitchen 121 for a routine inspection. During the inspection that lasted about four hours, several foodborne illness risk factors and the need for public health interventions, as well as non-adherence to good retail practices, were reported.
The inspection report stated that no Person-in-Charge (PIC) was present when the inspection started. The PIC arrived later, as the inspection was progressing. The report also noted the lack of active control by the manager over food safety practices, which caused the violations.
Inspectors observed that the hand sink at the kitchen entrance did not have hand soap available. The inspector observed that the same hand sink lacked paper towels for drying hands. It was also reported that the hot water was turned off at this hand sink, making it unusable for proper handwashing.
The inspector found that raw salmon was stored above ready-to-eat items, and other raw meats were improperly arranged, posing a cross-contamination risk. It was observed that employees were preparing both raw and cooked sushi without changing gloves or washing their hands in between tasks.
It was reported that cooked rice and other items on time control were not labeled with start or discard times, and some items were not included in the written time control procedures. Several squeeze bottles containing sauces and dressings were found without proper labels identifying their contents.
An employee was seen prepping raw salmon over dirty dishes in the three-compartment sink, which had not yet been sanitized. Bags of rice were observed stored directly on the floor of the kitchen. Inspectors found unwashed avocados with stickers still on them at the sushi prep area.
Another violation was reported as the dish machine was not reaching the required sanitizing temperature. It was reported that clean bowls were stacked while still wet, preventing proper air drying. The tabletop can opener was found to have food debris on it, indicating it was not clean.
While some of the issues listed above were resolved during the inspection, others remain to be solved. The inspection report provided a time frame within which the uncorrected violations are to be addressed and fixed.
Follow-Up Inspection Scheduled
The follow-up inspection at the restaurant will take place within 10 days. Kitchen 121’s team will have to take the necessary steps to resolve all the violations that were reported during Friday’s inspection. Moreover, it will have to ensure that it performs well in the follow-up so that it can retain its permit.
