Ethiopian Review

EDMONTON — The owners of an Edmonton restaurant were fined $23,230 yesterday for “horrible and disgusting” conditions that included having mice skeletons and beetle larvae.

Hai Yen Hum, 59, Felix Hum, 28, and Wonderful Garden Restaurant, 9010 75 St., pleaded guilty to numerous charges under the Public Health Act relating to breaching various food and general sanitation regulations.

“Some of these conditions were horrible and disgusting and led to closure,” said Capital Health prosecutor Rob O’Neill, referring to mice droppings and beetle larvae.

Court heard the Chinese food restaurant was inspected 37 times over a four-year period and the family would fix the violations when the health inspector would point them out, but then there would be further infractions found.

The restaurant was actually ordered closed for two weeks in March, but was allowed to reopen and court heard the eatery is currently in compliance with all regulations.

Other violations documented by inspectors include larder beetle larvae found in an area where takeout containers were stored, mouse droppings noted in the flour storage area, cooked meat and other foods found stored at room temperature and unacceptable washroom sanitation.

As well, inspectors saw staff washing their hands over top of thawing meat in the sink and Hai Yen Hum was seen contaminating cooked foods after handling raw fish and raw chicken. Staff also moved quickly to store food in the cooler when the inspector walked in to the restaurant.

Inspectors also found four mice skeletons in a mouse trap in the boiler room.

Defence lawyer Bosco Liu told court Hai Yen Hum and her husband came to Canada from China in 1981 and lived in rural areas before coming to Edmonton in 1989.

Both of them were chefs, however the husband is now disabled after being injured in a car crash in B.C. in 1992.

Hai Yen Hum bought Wonderful Garden in 2005 after the previous owners won a Lotto 6-49 jackpot and retired.

Hai Yen does not speak English and only works in the kitchen while her son Felix takes care of the front end.

Liu told court Hai Yen is “old school” and not up to speed on modern-day health regulations. As well, she is exhausted from working morning to night and then having to go home and take care of her husband.

Liu added that a lack of manpower and a period where business was not so good were also factors, but said Hai Yen has since “learned her lesson” and is now hiring professional help to clean and control pests.

Provincial court Judge James Wheatley accepted a joint submission for the fines and noted that restaurants must follow Alberta health standards and regulations if they want to operate in the food preparation business.

- By TONY BLAIS | The Edmonton Sun