WEST CHESTER, PA — Chester County health inspectors cited Nudy’s Cafe in West Chester for multiple food safety violations during a June 8 inspection, including improper food temperatures, cooling procedures, and storage practices that resulted in the disposal of potentially unsafe food.
According to the Chester County Health Department inspection report, inspectors found cooked chicken breasts being hot-held at temperatures between 114 and 120 degrees Fahrenheit on a countertop steam table more than two hours after cooking. The chicken, which was below the required 135-degree hot-holding temperature, was discarded during the inspection.
Inspectors also observed cooked chicken breasts stored at 62 to 64 degrees Fahrenheit in a cold-holding unit. Staff reported the chicken had been cooked approximately two hours earlier and placed into the unit while still hot. The chicken was discarded, and inspectors noted that the equipment is intended for cold holding only and should not be used to cool hot foods.
The inspection identified additional concerns involving food cooling procedures. A large stock pot of cream of asparagus soup was observed cooling at room temperature beneath a preparation table, with an internal temperature between 180 and 186 degrees Fahrenheit. An ice bath was initiated during the inspection to accelerate cooling.
Health officials also cited the restaurant for storing a bowl of raw shell eggs directly above diced ham, a ready-to-eat food, creating a risk of cross-contamination.
Inspectors further noted that employees reported routinely cooling soups in stock pots deeper than four inches, a practice that can slow cooling and increase food safety risks. The report instructed staff to use shallow containers, ice wands, or ice baths and to monitor temperatures throughout the cooling process.
Additional violations included excessive ice accumulation and food debris inside a basement chest freezer, dirty flooring beneath and behind the cookline, and a hole in a wall near the wait station that requires repair.
The Chester County Health Department noted that corrective actions, including food disposal and the initiation of an ice bath for soup cooling, were taken during the inspection.
The June 8 report identified Nudy’s Cafe, located at 300 W. Market St. in West Chester, as the only food establishment cited for violations during the inspection cycle.
The following establishments were reported to be in compliance during inspections conducted the same day:
- Compass Group @ Siemens Healthineers, Malvern
- Dim Sum Court, Phoenixville
- East Side Little League Snack Shack, West Chester
- Ecuatorianos Express LLC, Malvern
- La Bamba Ice Cream and Snacks, Kennett Square
- No. 1 China Xiong’s Restaurant, West Chester
- Penn Street Pizza DBA Domino’s / East Whiteland, Frazer
- Pizza 316, West Chester
- Punch Buggy Brewing Company, Spring City
Chester County Health Department inspection reports represent conditions observed at the time of inspection and may not reflect an establishment’s long-term compliance status. Residents who witness unsanitary conditions or believe a food facility requires investigation can submit an Environmental Health Complaint at https://www.chesco.org/5843. Complaints are investigated confidentially. Individuals who become ill after eating at a food establishment should call the Chester County Health Department at 610-344-6225 rather than submitting an online complaint.
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