Inspection Report

Business Name
Cocina Chiwas LLc

Business Address
2001 E APACHE BLVD TEMPE AZ 85281

Permit Number
FD-88702

Permit Type
Food Establishment - Eating & Drinking

Inspection Purpose
Food Routine Inspection

Inspection Date
8/6/2025

Grade
Not Participating

Priority Violation
2

Inspection Status
Completed

Violations

Violation #: 16

Description: Food-Contact Surfaces: Cleaned and Sanitized

Comments:

PRIORITY VIOLATION-4-501.114 (A-E) - Priority: Manual and Mechanical Warewashing Equipment, Chemical Sanitization- Temperature, pH, Concentration and Hardness. For a permanent fix to this violation, check out these simple tools in our Active Managerial Control Toolbox, made especially for you. https://www.maricopa.gov/4574/AMC-Toolbox---Food-Contact-Surfaces.

Addl Notes: Observed dish machine with active warewashing test at 10ppm of chlorine sanitizer. Person-in-charge (PIC) primed machine, but machine was still testing at 10ppm chlorine sanitizer. Person-in-charge (PIC) relocated all food-contact surfaces to three-compartment sink with a quaternary ammonia concentration of 200ppm to be washed, rinsed, and sanitized at the time of inspection. PIC also called technician to service dish machine at time of inspection. Discussed the importance of proper sanitizer levels and proper monitoring of sanitizer levels. Corrective Action: Corrected at time of inspection.

Violation #: 23

Description: Proper Date Marking and Disposition

Comments:

PRIORITY VIOLATION-3-501.18 - Priority: Ready-To-Eat Time/Temperature Control for Safety Food, Disposition. For a permanent fix to this violation, check out these simple tools in our Active Managerial Control Toolbox, made especially for you. https://www.maricopa.gov/4125/Food-SafetyOperator-Resources.

Addl Notes: Observed the following ready to eat (RTE)/TCS foods with the following preparation dates: cooked chorizo (7/29), salsa iberico made with cream cheese (7/29), cooked iberico pork (7/29), cremosa sauce made with cooked jalapeno in oil (7/29), housemade caesar dressing made with heavy cream (7/30), salsa de chivo made with tomatoes (7/29). RTE/TCS foods requiring date marking must be date marked within 24 hours and sold or discarded after 7 days (including the day it was made as day 1). All RTE/TCS foods past 7 days of preparation were discarded by PIC at the time of inspection. Corrective Action: Corrected at time of inspection.

Violation #: 33

Description: Proper Cooling Methods Used; Adequate Equipment for Temperature Control

Comments:

4-301.11 - Priority Foundation: Cooling, Heating, and Holding Capacities-Equipment. For a permanent fix to this violation, check out these simple tools in our Active Managerial Control Toolbox, made especially for you. https://www.maricopa.gov/4617/AMC-Toolbox---Cooling. Addl Notes: Observed right cold holding make table on cookline with a minimum ambient air temperature at 46.7*F halfway through inspection when min/max thermometer was placed in unit. At start of inspection, TCS foods in unit were holding at 43*F, but increased to 47*F-49*F by end of inspection. PIC relocated TCS foods to walk-in refrigerator and alternative functioning refrigeration to cool to 41*F at time of inspection. PIC placed lid on top of make table and adjusted unit to a cooler setting. Unit had a final ambient air temperature of 38.6*F at end of inspection. Lower section of unit was holding cooked chicken that was actively cooling at 60*F at beginning of inspection, but relocated chicken to walk-in refrigerator. Discussed with PIC that make tables are not designed to cool foods down, and instead are designed to maintain them at their temperature. Also discussed with PIC that placing hot foods inside make tables can cause the ambient air temperature of the unit to increase, thus increasing the internal temperature of the food and may cause the unit to not function properly. Cold holding equipment must have the capacity to maintain TCS foods at 41°F or below. Corrective Action: Corrected at time of inspection.

Comments/Details

No County legal action will result from this inspection.
Report emailed. **Discussed: 1. handwashing, ensuring hands are washed at any time contamination occurs and when changing tasks. Changing gloves cannot be used in lieu of washing hands. 2. cooling methods, ensuring cooked foods are fully cooled in walk-in before being moved to make-tables on line. 3. obtaining splash guards for handsink at bar.

"A" for Food Safety

Through our grading system, Maricopa County Environmental Services Department provides at-a-glance indications of how food establishments perform during food safety inspections. This system is designed to grade food establishments in terms of food safety requirements and provide recognition to those who choose to participate.

How does it work?

The issuance of grade cards to food establishments is based on voluntary participation. The person in charge, who is present during the inspection, will be asked whether they would like to participate in the Grading System. This will be decided prior to each inspection. If an establishment does not participate in the Grading System, Not Participating or NP will appear on the inspection report, and the inspection will still occur. If an establishment does participate, a grade of A, B, C, or D will be determined at the conclusion of the inspection using the Grading System chart below. Participating establishments will then be provided with a grade card that can be posted in the establishment. The status of the establishment’s grade will also appear on the Restaurant Ratings page of the department’s website.

How can I determine the grade?

The Grading System chart can be used to determine grades earned for establishments that do not participate. Grades are determined by the number of Priority and Priority Foundation violations received at the time of inspection. Violation types are defined in general terms below.

Definitions

Priority Violation: Major violation that directly contributes to increasing the risk of foodborne illness or injury (e.g. Food employees do not properly wash hands when required).
Priority Foundation Violation: Minor violation that does not directly contribute to an increased risk of foodborne illness but failure to correct this violation may lead to the occurrence of a priority violation. For example, hand washing soap and paper towels not available at hand wash sink (may lead directly to food employees not properly washing hands when required).
Core Violation: Minor violation that relates to general maintenance and sanitation (e.g. No sign reminding employees to wash hands).
Cutting Edge Program: All county food-related establishments can partner with Maricopa County to implement a proactive approach to reducing foodborne illness risk factors by implementing food safety systems that include policies, training, and verification processes. Partners enrolled in the Cutting Edge Program receive an A+ when an A is earned.

Grading System The matrix below is used to grade food inspections under the voluntary grading system.
Violation Category	Grade A	Grade B	Grade B	Grade B	Grade B	Grade B	Grade B	Grade B	Grade C	Grade C	Grade C	Grade C	Grade C	Grade C	Grade D	Grade D
Priority	0	0	0	0	0	1	1	1	0	1	1	2	2	2	more than 2	more than 3
Priority Foundation	0	1	2	3	4	0	1	2	5	3	4	0	1	2	more than 3	more than 0

Any legal action for a pattern of non-compliance or permit suspension results in a D.