Vina Bakehouse Chatswood fined for food safety, hygiene breaches during inspection

Chicken meat stored at the incorrect temperatures, food scraps on floors and a lack of soap for handwashing were among the scenes that have confronted food inspectors at a popular bakery. See the photos.

A photo taken during the food safety and hygiene inspection, showing a bain marie.

Chicken meat stored at the incorrect temperatures, food scraps on floors and a lack of soap for handwashing were among the scenes that have confronted food inspectors at a popular bakery on Sydney’s north shore.

Vina Bakehouse located in Chatswood Westfield has been issued three separate fines totalling $2640 following an inspection of the business by Willoughby Council.

The fines – issued on April 23 and published on the public Food Authority register – include failing to maintain the premises to the required standard of cleanliness, failing to display potentially hazardous food under temperature control, and failing to maintain easily accessible hand washing facilities on the food premises.

The restaurant had received previous warnings for food safety offences during past council inspections.

Photos taken during the inspection showed food including chicken meat, Spam, sausage rolls and Vietnamese style mayo butter were stored outside correct temperatures.

A photo of mayo butter and other food during the inspection.

The fines were issued by Willoughby Council.

One photo from the inspection showed chicken meat displayed in a bain marie at 51 degrees celsius.

Under the Food Standards Code, “raw and cooked chicken are potentially hazardous foods” and must be stored at correct temperature control – for example 5°C or colder or above 60°C.”

A photo taken during the inspection.

The bakery is located in Westfield Chatswood.

Other photos taken inside the bakery showed an unclean bain marie and scraps of food on the floor.

A Willoughby Council spokeswoman said the hand washing basin was not able to be easily accessed and did not have a supply of soap.

The council stated the bakery had previously been found non-compliant with food safety standards during seven other inspections of the business during the last four years.

A council spokeswoman said the inspections included a visit on May 3, 2022 when the bakery was found not to be compliant with cleanliness and temperature control of potentially hazardous food.

A photo taken during the inspection, showing the floor.

The business has been fined by Willoughby Council.

The spokeswoman said a “recent inspection has indicated an improvement”.

The premises has been renovated and the ongoing failures to meet food safety standards and noncompliances are at the lower end of the scale,” she said.

“Council is currently considering an escalation in enforcement action however, we are committed to working with the business owner to improve the level of compliance.”

This publication contacted the bakery for comment however did not receive a response from management at the time of publication.