Health Unit orders Mr. Perogy shut due to food-handling concerns

A Victoriaville Mall restaurant has been closed by the Thunder Bay District Health Unit for failing to handle food properly.

Lee Sieswerda, manager of the environmental health program, said repeated violations left he and his inspectors no choice but to close Mr. Perogy on Oct. 21.

“He was not able to maintain proper food temperatures for the hot food that he serves,” Sieswerda said.

“That was necessary because if you don’t hold hot food above 60 degrees, then pathogenic bacteria can grow on that food. And that can make people sick.”

Sieswerda said whether the closure is permanent or temporary depends entirely on the owner, Nick Giannone.

“There are conditions attached to the order,” Sieswerda said.

“If he attends a food-safety course and can prove that he can maintain his food temperatures at the proper level and provides us with a food safety plan, then he’ll be allowed to reopen.”

The Health Unit inspects high-risk restaurants – essentially any full-service facility – four times each year.

There was an extensive history of non-compliance at Mr. Perogy in the past, Siewerda said, adding the owner had three previous convictions. 

It only takes one public complaint for an investigation to be launched, though in this case those options had been expended.

“Our public-health inspectors try to work with restaurateurs to try to educate them about the proper way to do things,” he said.

In other cases they could simply throw out the mishandled food, provide education or do increased inspections.

“In the last resort we can do what we’ve done now, which is to close him.”