Essence of Spice
260 Muskoka Rd S, Gravenhurst ON P1P 1J2 · Restaurant
Inspection summary
Essence of Spice has been inspected 5 times by Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit since November 5, 2024. The most recent inspection, on August 13, 2026, recorded 3 infractions.
1 of 5 inspections on record found no infractions at all. In the past 12 months there were 3 inspections with 7 infractions recorded. The higher-risk findings here relate to: Protecting food from contamination, Cleaning and sanitizing and Chemicals and toxic substances.
Recent inspections have recorded more infractions than earlier ones, so it is worth reading the latest reports closely.
What these findings mean
Health authorities word their violations differently, so we group them by what they mean for food safety. Higher-risk findings are the ones inspectors treat as critical, because they can directly make someone sick.
Protecting food from contaminationHigher risk
This covers how food is stored, prepared and displayed: raw meat kept away from ready-to-eat food, food covered and stored off the floor, and nothing dripping or splashing into it. Cross-contamination from raw to cooked food is a direct route for salmonella and E. coli.
Recorded 3 times across 3 separate inspections, most recently on August 13, 2026. For example:
Furniture, equipment and appliances in food handling and storage rooms arranged and constructed in a clean and sanitary manner.
Cleaning and sanitizingHigher risk
Anything that touches food, such as cutting boards, dishes and utensils, must be washed, rinsed and sanitized. Inspectors check dishwasher temperatures, sanitizer strength and how wiping cloths are stored. Poor sanitizing lets bacteria survive from one use to the next.
Recorded 2 times on March 20, 2025. For example:
Equipment, utensils, multi-service articles and all food contact surfaces must be properly constructed and maintained.
Chemicals and toxic substancesHigher risk
Cleaning products, sanitizers and pesticides must be labelled and stored away from food and food-contact surfaces. Inspectors flag chemicals that could end up in food, as well as pest treatments applied without proper supervision.
Recorded once on August 13, 2026. For example:
Toxic or poisonous substances required for maintenance in food premises are stored and handled as prescribed in the regulation.
Other findingsLower risk
Findings that do not fit the categories above, such as follow-ups that confirm an earlier violation was corrected, or requirements specific to this type of facility.
Recorded 3 times across 3 separate inspections, most recently on August 13, 2026. For example:
Operator practiced safe food handling to ensure food is safe to eat.
About this data
These results come from Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit, which inspects food premises and other public facilities in this area. We republish the authority's public disclosure data and refresh it regularly; the official record is the final word.
5 inspections
- Routine
3 infractions
- Furniture, equipment and appliances in food handling and storage rooms arranged and constructed in a clean and sanitary manner.
- Fail to maintain and arrange equipment in clean and sanitary condition
- Toxic or poisonous substances required for maintenance in food premises are stored and handled as prescribed in the regulation.
- Fail to keep toxic/poisonous substances in container bearing identifying labels
- Operator practiced safe food handling to ensure food is safe to eat.
- Fail to protect food from contamination and/or adulteration
- Furniture, equipment and appliances in food handling and storage rooms arranged and constructed in a clean and sanitary manner.
- Routine
2 infractions
- Furniture, equipment and appliances in food handling and storage rooms arranged and constructed in a clean and sanitary manner.
- Fail to maintain and arrange equipment in clean and sanitary condition
- Operator practiced safe food handling to ensure food is safe to eat.
- Fail to protect food from contamination and/or adulteration
- Furniture, equipment and appliances in food handling and storage rooms arranged and constructed in a clean and sanitary manner.
- Routine
2 infractions
- Furniture, equipment and appliances in food handling and storage rooms arranged and constructed in a clean and sanitary manner.
- Fail to maintain and arrange equipment in clean and sanitary condition
- Operator practiced safe food handling to ensure food is safe to eat.
- Fail to cover food
- Fail to protect food from contamination and/or adulteration
- Furniture, equipment and appliances in food handling and storage rooms arranged and constructed in a clean and sanitary manner.
- Routine
2 infractions
- Equipment, utensils, multi-service articles and all food contact surfaces must be properly constructed and maintained.
- Fail to maintain equipment, utensils and or multi-service articles clean and sanitized
- Testing reagent used to determine concentration of sanitizer.
- Fail to use or provide test reagent to determine concentration of sanitizer
- Equipment, utensils, multi-service articles and all food contact surfaces must be properly constructed and maintained.
- Routine
0 infractions
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