Restaurant · Wake County, NC

Zest Cary

Name: Zest Cary
Address: 175 E Chatham St, Wake County, NC

175 E Chatham St

Last inspected Sep 8, 2026 · View Map ↗ · Compare ↗

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Score 95.5

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ImprovingThe latest inspection recorded fewer violations than the one before it. Review the dated records below.

The full inspection history

4 inspections

1 - Inspection

Sep 8, 2026

Score 95.5

Official score: 95.5 · Understand this area’s scale

3 recorded violations

notedCode 4-501.114 Manual and Mechanical Warewashing EquipmentCleaning and sanitizing

Official wording

Food-contact surfaces: cleaned & sanitized

Inspector’s notes

4-501.114 Manual and Mechanical Warewashing Equipment; Chemical Sanitization - Temperature; pH; Concentration and Hardness (Priority); There was no measurable chlorine solution in the dish machine. Chlorine solutions must measure 50-200ppm. CDI-Ecolab was contacted to service the unit. Quaternary ammonium was available at 200ppm at the 3-compartment sink; and will be used until the dish machine is serviced. 4-601.11 (A) Equipment; Food-Contact Surfaces; Nonfood Contact Surfaces; and Utensils (Priority Foundation); Several pans stored as clean had food residues on them. Food contact surfaces of equipment and utensils shall be clean to sight and touch. CDI-Pans were cleaned and sanitized again.

In plain English

Dishes, equipment, or surfaces that touch food were not properly washed, rinsed, and sanitized, or sanitizer was not at the right strength. Clean surfaces help stop germs from spreading to food.

More about cleaning or sanitizing problems

notedCode 3-501.16 (A) (2) and (B) Time / Temperature Control for Safety (TCS) FoodFood temperature

Official wording

Proper cold holding temperatures

Inspector’s notes

3-501.16 (A) (2) and (B) Time / Temperature Control for Safety (TCS) Food; Hot and Cold Holding (Priority); A few food items in the preparation cooler and one dish of salmon in the sushi display were holding above 41F. Hold TCS foods cold at 41F or below. CDI-Foods were cooled down quickly in the freezer. Foods were out during lunch rush.

In plain English

Food was not kept cold enough, hot enough, cooled fast enough, or cooked or reheated to the right temperature. Bacteria grow quickly in the "danger zone" between 41°F and 135°F, which makes this one of the most important food-safety checks.

More about food kept at an unsafe temperature

notedCode 4-903.11 (A)Equipment and utensils

Official wording

Utensils; equipment & linens: properly stored; dried & handled

Inspector’s notes

4-903.11 (A); (B); and (D) Equipment; Utensils; Linens and Single-Service and Single-Use Articles Storing (Core); Facility is drying pans and dish ware with cloths. Pans were stacked tightly while still wet. Equipment and utensils shall be stacked to allow air drying after cleaning and sanitizing. CDI-Pans were rearranged.

In plain English

Equipment, utensils, thermometers, cutting boards, or single-use items were not in good condition, not the right type, or not stored properly.

More about equipment or utensil issues

Official record from Wake County Environmental Services, Sep 8, 2026 · Original Source

1 - Inspection

Feb 26, 2026

Score 97.5

Official score: 97.5 · Understand this area’s scale

5 recorded violations

notedCode —Food source and labeling

Official wording

Required records available: shellstock tags; parasite destruction

Inspector’s notes

3-203.12 Retain tag on the bag of shellstock until empty. Record date on the tag when the last shellstock from the container is used. Store tags in chronological order for 90 days. -Pf - Observed oyster tags that were not in chronological order and also were not marked with the date of last sold. CDI by having employee place tags in order based on harvest date.

In plain English

Food came from an unapproved source, was missing required date marks or labels, or was past its use-by date. Knowing where food came from and how old it is helps prevent illness.

More about food source, dating, or labeling problems

criticalCode 4-601.11(A) Equipment food contact surfaces and utensils shall be clean to sight and touch. -Pf. Observed several peelers on clean storage rack that were not clean to sight and touch. One peeler was discarded due to condition of blade. Ensure employees are using some form of device to ensure encrusted fruit/veggie skin is removed during cleaning service. Replace rice holder pot. observed encrusted rice in worn crevices. 4-501.114 Manual and Mechanical Warewashing EquipmentCleaning and sanitizing

Official wording

Food-contact surfaces: cleaned & sanitized

Inspector’s notes

4-601.11(A) Equipment food contact surfaces and utensils shall be clean to sight and touch. -Pf. Observed several peelers on clean storage rack that were not clean to sight and touch. One peeler was discarded due to condition of blade. Ensure employees are using some form of device to ensure encrusted fruit/veggie skin is removed during cleaning service. Replace rice holder pot. observed encrusted rice in worn crevices. 4-501.114 Manual and Mechanical Warewashing Equipment; Chemical Sanitization - Temperature; pH; Concentration and Hardness (P) - Ecolab dish machine was not dispensing sanitizer between 50-100ppm for chlorine sanitizer. Dish machine was ran multiple times to ensure priming was not the reason for fault. automatic dispenser on three compartment sink was not dispensing quaternary sanitizer to achieve 200-400ppm. VR in 3 days required for both dish machine and dispenser on three compartment sink. Immediate fix method: Establishment had quaternary tablets and a container of quaternary concentrate to manually mix sanitizer. 4-501.114 Maintain sanitizer at correct concentrations when being used to sanitize. -P - During actively washing there was under 100ppm quaternary sanitizer in the sanitizing basin. CDI by draining and replacing with quaternary concentrate mixture to achieve 400ppm.

In plain English

Dishes, equipment, or surfaces that touch food were not properly washed, rinsed, and sanitized, or sanitizer was not at the right strength. Clean surfaces help stop germs from spreading to food.

More about cleaning or sanitizing problems

notedCode —Food source and labeling

Official wording

Proper date marking & disposition

Inspector’s notes

3-501.17 Date mark/label all TCS foods that are ready-to-eat once opened or prepared and held more than 24hrs. -Pf Observed crab cake mix in walk in cooler that was prepared yesterday (exact time unknown). Manager did add date of 2/25/2026 to food item.

In plain English

Food came from an unapproved source, was missing required date marks or labels, or was past its use-by date. Knowing where food came from and how old it is helps prevent illness.

More about food source, dating, or labeling problems

notedCode —Other

Official wording

Time as a Public Health Control; procedures & records

Inspector’s notes

3-501.19(B)(3) Follow written procedures for foods held using Time as a Public Health Control (TPHC) for 4 hours. Food shall be marked to indicate the time that is 4 hours past the point in time when the food is removed from temperature control. Pf - Sushi rice needs to be marked with a start time indicating when the food was placed into service. CDI by transferring time from chart to rice cooker.

In plain English

An issue that does not fit the common categories. Check the official wording for details.

More about other finding

notedCode 4-204.118 Warewashing MachinesCleaning and sanitizing

Official wording

Warewashing facilities: installed; maintained & used; test strips

Inspector’s notes

4-204.118 Warewashing Machines; Flow Pressure Device (C) Obsevred the pressure gauge for the machine below the needed parameter for final rinse (the green margin on pressure gauge).

In plain English

Dishes, equipment, or surfaces that touch food were not properly washed, rinsed, and sanitized, or sanitizer was not at the right strength. Clean surfaces help stop germs from spreading to food.

More about cleaning or sanitizing problems

Official record from Wake County Environmental Services, Feb 26, 2026 · Original Source

1 - Inspection

Jan 13, 2025

Score 96

Official score: 96 · Understand this area’s scale

4 recorded violations

notedCode 3-304.14(B)Cleaning and sanitizing

Official wording

Wiping cloths: properly used & stored

Inspector’s notes

3-304.14(B); Core; Wet wiping cloths were stored on counters. Hold in-use wiping cloths in properly concentrated sanitizer between uses. CDI-Wiping cloths were moved to sanitizing solution.

In plain English

Dishes, equipment, or surfaces that touch food were not properly washed, rinsed, and sanitized, or sanitizer was not at the right strength. Clean surfaces help stop germs from spreading to food.

More about cleaning or sanitizing problems

notedCode 2-301.12 (A)Handwashing

Official wording

Hands clean & properly washed

Inspector’s notes

2-301.12 (A);(B) Priority; Employee washed hands without soap at the prep sink. Wash hands for at least 20 seconds. Follow the cleaning procedure to adequately wash your hands. Use warm water; soap; scrub 10 to 15 seconds; rinse; and immediately follow the cleaning procedure with thorough hand drying method (ex. Disposable Paper Towel). CDI-Employee moved to equipped hand sink and washed hands again with soap. PIC will review hand washing procedures with employees. 2-301.14; Priority; Dish washing employee did not wash hands between handling soiled and clean equipment. Wash hands before engaging in food preparation including working with exposed food; clean equipment and utensils; and unwrapped single service and single use articles. CDI-Employee was reminded to wash hands; and did so.

In plain English

Staff were not washing their hands when required, or a handwashing sink was blocked, missing soap or paper towels, or used for something else. Hands are one of the most common ways germs reach food.

Official wording

Food-contact surfaces: cleaned & sanitized

Inspector’s notes

4-501.114; Priority; Ecolab sink and surface sanitizer was measuring 0ppm at the 3-compartment sink and in sanibuckets. The dish machine sanitizer solution was measuring 0ppm. Maintain sanitizer at correct concentrations when being used to sanitize. CDI-Bleach was available; and was used to make a sanitizing solution to use until Ecolab can service the sanitizer dispensers.

In plain English

Dishes, equipment, or surfaces that touch food were not properly washed, rinsed, and sanitized, or sanitizer was not at the right strength. Clean surfaces help stop germs from spreading to food.

More about cleaning or sanitizing problems

notedCode 3-304.12 (E) CoreEquipment and utensils

Official wording

In-use utensils: properly stored

Inspector’s notes

3-304.12 (E) Core; Rice scoop was stored in standing water at 72F. In-use utensils; such as ice scoops for food; must be stored in a clean and protected location. Utensils stored in water must be stored in water that is 135F. CDI-Scoop was moved to be cleaned and sanitized. A clean; dry container will be used to store the scoop in the future.

In plain English

Equipment, utensils, thermometers, cutting boards, or single-use items were not in good condition, not the right type, or not stored properly.

More about equipment or utensil issues

Official record from Wake County Environmental Services, Jan 13, 2025 · Original Source

1 - Inspection

Sep 11, 2024

Score 98

Official score: 98 · Understand this area’s scale

3 recorded violations

majorCode 4-601.11 (A)Cleaning and sanitizing

Official wording

Food-contact surfaces: cleaned & sanitized

Inspector’s notes

4-601.11 (A); Priority Foundation; Several stacks of sushi plates stored as clean for service had food splash on them. A cucumber slicer had hair and dust on it. Food contact surfaces of equipment and utensils shall be clean to sight and touch. CDI-All utensils were moved to dish pit for cleaning and sanitizing.

In plain English

Dishes, equipment, or surfaces that touch food were not properly washed, rinsed, and sanitized, or sanitizer was not at the right strength. Clean surfaces help stop germs from spreading to food.

More about cleaning or sanitizing problems

majorCode 3-501.15Food temperature

Official wording

Proper cooling methods used; adequate equipment for temperature control

Inspector’s notes

3-501.15; Priority Foundation; Recently sliced fish was wrapped tightly in plastic to cool. Foods shall be rapidly chilled after preparation using one or more of the following methods: Dividing food into smaller portions; placing food in pans 2inches or less; using rapid cooling equipment; stirring food in an ice bath; using metal containers; adding ice as an ingredient; or other effective methods. Food shall be left uncovered; or loosely covered; if it can be protected from contamination. CDI-Educational materials provided on cooling methods. Plastic was removed from fish; and fish was moved to freezer to facilitate rapid chilling.

In plain English

More about food kept at an unsafe temperature

minorCode 4-903.11(A)Equipment and utensils

Official wording

Utensils; equipment & linens: properly stored; dried & handled

Inspector’s notes

4-903.11(A); (B) and (D); Core; Utensils and pans were stacked tightly together while wet after cleaning and sanitizing. Utensils and equipment shall be arranged to allow air drying after cleaning and sanitizing. CDI-Pans and utensils were rearranged to allow air drying. Facility has ordered custom shelving to give more space for air drying and storage.