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KEMPSTERS COOKHOUSE & EATERY

3644 KEMPT, HALIFAX · Food Establishment

Official record from Nova Scotia →

Inspection summary

KEMPSTERS COOKHOUSE & EATERY has been inspected 7 times by Nova Scotia Environment and Climate Change (Food Safety Program) since April 2, 2024. The most recent inspection, on October 8, 2026, recorded 2 infractions.

1 of 7 inspections on record found no infractions at all. In the past 12 months there were 3 inspections with 15 infractions recorded. The higher-risk findings here relate to: Pests, Cleaning and sanitizing and Food temperature control.

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.

  • PestsHigher risk

    Signs of mice, rats, cockroaches or flies, or gaps and clutter that let them get in or hide. Pests carry bacteria and can contaminate food and surfaces, so evidence of activity is treated seriously and usually triggers a follow-up visit.

    Recorded 7 times across 3 separate inspections, most recently on October 8, 2026. For example: 19(1)(e) A food establishment must be located, designed, constructed and maintained to ensure all of the following: (e) that there is effective protection to prevent the access and sheltering of insects, rodents and other pests.

  • 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 4 times across 3 separate inspections, most recently on September 23, 2026. For example: 29(3) A food establishment must provide facilities and equipment to implement the maintenance, cleaning and sanitation program and must identify in their program the cleaning and sanitizing agents used in the food establishment, including their concentration and uses.

  • Food temperature controlHigher risk

    Bacteria multiply fastest between about 4 °C and 60 °C (40 °F to 140 °F). Inspectors check that cold food stays cold, hot food stays hot, cooked food is cooled quickly, and that staff have accurate thermometers. Temperature problems are one of the most common causes of food poisoning, so these are treated as critical findings.

    Recorded 2 times on August 11, 2026. For example: 23(2)(b) Equipment used to cook, heat-treat, cool, store, display or freeze food must be designed to (b) control temperature, humidity, air flow and any other condition that is likely to have a detrimental effect on food safety.

  • 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 2 times across 2 separate inspections, most recently on August 11, 2026. For example: 29(1) An operator of a food establishment must have a maintenance, cleaning and sanitation program in place to control the risk of contamination of food, equipment, utensils and other facilities in the food establishment.

  • 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 11, 2026. For example: 19(1)(c) A food establishment must be located, designed, constructed and maintained to ensure all of the following: (c) that the surfaces and materials are durable, non-toxic and are easy to maintain, clean and sanitize;

About this data

These results come from Nova Scotia Environment and Climate Change (Food Safety Program), 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.

7 inspections

  1. Inspection

    2 infractions

    • 19(1)(e) A food establishment must be located, designed, constructed and maintained to ensure all of the following: (e) that there is effective protection to prevent the access and sheltering of insects, rodents and other pests.
      • Fill gaps around wires in the half wall across from the cookline; fill holes in the baseboards in booths 9 and 10.
    • 29(2)(b) A maintenance, cleaning and sanitation program must include procedures to ensure that all of the following are done: (b) insects, rodents and other pests are controlled;
      • Clean and sanitize the following areas affected by rodent droppings/urine/nesting materials: at floor/wall junctions at the half wall across from the cookline and inside the booth seats in the dining room/waiting areas.
  2. Inspection

    3 infractions

    • 19(1)(e) A food establishment must be located, designed, constructed and maintained to ensure all of the following: (e) that there is effective protection to prevent the access and sheltering of insects, rodents and other pests.
      • Complete all recommendations noted by the pest control service technician on the report dated 29/08/2026.
    • 29(2)(b) A maintenance, cleaning and sanitation program must include procedures to ensure that all of the following are done: (b) insects, rodents and other pests are controlled;
      • Clean and sanitize the following areas affected by rodent droppings/urine/nesting materials: floor/wall junctions by the Coca Cola cooler in the side server area, on the slider shelves in the server station, at floor/wall junctions at the half wall across from the cookline, at floor/wall junctions by the ice machine, and inside the booth seats in the dining room.
    • 29(3) A food establishment must provide facilities and equipment to implement the maintenance, cleaning and sanitation program and must identify in their program the cleaning and sanitizing agents used in the food establishment, including their concentration and uses.
      • Chemicals removed from original containers must be clearly labelled to identify the contents; label chemical spray bottles.
  3. Inspection

    10 infractions

    • 19(1)(c) A food establishment must be located, designed, constructed and maintained to ensure all of the following:  (c) that the surfaces and materials are durable, non-toxic and are easy to maintain, clean and sanitize;
      • Repair or replace damaged/missing floor tiles in the dish pit.
    • 19(1)(e) A food establishment must be located, designed, constructed and maintained to ensure all of the following: (e) that there is effective protection to prevent the access and sheltering of insects, rodents and other pests.
      • Complete all noted recommendations noted by the pest control service technician on the report dated 07/07/2026.
    • 20(2) A washroom facility must be constructed, equipped, and designed in accordance with the Nova Scotia Building Code.
      • Stock paper towel in the dispenser at the hand wash sink in the staff washroom; do not store in on the toilet tank where it can become contaminated.
    • 23(2)(b) Equipment used to cook, heat-treat, cool, store, display or freeze food must be designed to (b) control temperature, humidity, air flow and any other condition that is likely to have a detrimental effect on food safety.
      • Discontinue using the salad cold top prep cooler and the drawer cool under the grill for storage of potentially hazardous food. Contact a refrigeration technician to service the cooler units. Cooler units must maintain temperatures at 4 degrees Celsius or below.
    • 29(1) An operator of a food establishment must have a maintenance, cleaning and sanitation program in place to control the risk of contamination of food, equipment, utensils and other facilities in the food establishment.
      • Discontinue use of the low-temperature dish washer for sanitizing dishes/equipment. Obtain chlorine sanitizer for the low-temperature dish washer and ensure it measures 100ppm chlorine. Until the low-temperature dish washer chlorine sanitizer is measuring 100ppm, sanitize dishes in the three-compartment sink using the quaternary ammonium sanitizer from the automatic dispenser.
    • 29(2)(a) A maintenance, cleaning and sanitation program must include procedures to ensure that all of the following are done: (a) the food establishment and equipment are maintained, cleaned and sanitized;
      • Clean and sanitize exterior/interior surfaces of garbage/compost receptacles, and the floors in the walk-in cooler and walk-in freezer to remove debris build-up.
    • 29(2)(b) A maintenance, cleaning and sanitation program must include procedures to ensure that all of the following are done: (b) insects, rodents and other pests are controlled;
      • Clean and sanitize the following areas affected by rodent droppings/urine/nesting materials: floor/wall junctions throughout the kitchen, in the cabinet below the hand wash sink across from the cookline, on the storage shelves below the back prep tables, on the floor under equipment and in dry storage areas, on the edges of the board and batten in the highway/server area/dining room, and inside the booth seats in the dining room.
    • 29(2)(b) A maintenance, cleaning and sanitation program must include procedures to ensure that all of the following are done: (b) insects, rodents and other pests are controlled;
      • Contact professional pest control company to provide treatments for flies around the drains.
    • 29(3) A food establishment must provide facilities and equipment to implement the maintenance, cleaning and sanitation program and must identify in their program the cleaning and sanitizing agents used in the food establishment, including their concentration and uses.
      • Chemicals removed from original containers must be clearly labelled to identify the contents; label chemical spray bottles.
    • 33(1) An operator must ensure that the temperature of food is controlled so that the food does not deteriorate or become inedible or unsafe.
      • Discard all potentially hazardous food stored in the salad cold-top prep cooler and the drawer cooler under the grill on the cookline. Potentially hazardous food must be stored at 4 degrees Celsius or below.
  4. Inspection

    1 infraction

    • 19(1)(a) A food establishment must be located, designed, constructed and maintained to ensure all of the following: (a) that the risk of contaminating the food is minimized;
      • In accordance with clause 2.14 (iii) of the NS Food Retail and Food Services Code, handwash facilities must not be used for the purposes other than handwashing.
  5. Inspection

    0 infractions

  6. Inspection

    1 infraction

    • 23(1)(b) All equipment and utensils used to process, prepare, store, serve, sell or display food must be designed, constructed, installed and maintained to (b) allow adequate cleaning, sanitizing and maintenance.
      • In accordance with Section 4.1 of the NS Food Retail and Food Services Code, you must ensure all equipment is maintained and functional for its intended use.
  7. Inspection

    1 infraction

    • 19(2)(b) A food establishment must provide all of the following in accordance with applicable legislation or as considered acceptable by the Administrator: (b) adequately designed and appropriately located hand-washing facilities;
      • In accordance with Section 2.14 (b) of the NS Food Retail and Food Services Code, handwashing facilities must: iv. be provided with single-use soap dispensers (e.g., liquid soap) and single-use hand drying devices such as paper towel dispensers or hot air dryers;

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