(Image: Christine's Kitchen)
A café has been given a food hygiene rating of one following an inspection earlier in the year.
Christine's Kitchen, located on Kirkgate in Silsden, was visited by an environmental health officer on March 19 and told that "major improvement necessary" was necessary.
The menu includes cooked breakfasts, paninis, burgers, pasta and popular specials like steak sandwiches.
Reviews online are generally very good, praising the quality and value for money.
The low rating was put down to a series of food safety breaches, including out-of-date food, poor cleaning, and a lack of confidence in management.
Inside Christine's Kitchen in Silsden (Image: Christine's Kitchen)
A spokesperson for the business feels that the inspection was "unfair" and sent the T&A photographs from inside the premises.
What officers found
During the inspection, the officer found food past its use-by date, including beef spread dated March 7 and coleslaw dated March 16.
They also noted that open cans were being stored in the refrigerator, which can lead to contamination.
Inside Christine's Kitchen in Silsden (Image: Christine's Kitchen)
The inspector advised that once opened, tinned foods should be transferred to plastic, lidded containers to avoid contamination.
The officer said: "You must check your stock daily and dispose of any food which is out of date.
"This should form part of your food safety management system."
It was also noted that some products like mayonnaise also require refrigeration once opened.
Structural issues were identified, including a glass jug being stored in the kitchen wash hand basin, which should be used exclusively for handwashing.
Inside Christine's Kitchen in Silsden (Image: Christine's Kitchen)
Certain areas flagged for cleaning
The report also highlighted a number of areas that required cleaning, including the ventilation canopy above the deep fat fryers, the air fryer, and the area behind the wash hand basin, shelving, plug sockets, and flooring in the storeroom.
A rusty microwave and a leaking, loose mixer tap were also flagged for repair or replacement.
The inspector noted there was no hot water supply to the toilet wash hand basin, a repeat issue from a previous inspection in December 2022.
The inspector confirmed that a Hygiene Improvement Notice (HIN) would be served to ensure compliance.
Toilet opens into food preparation room
Another recurring issue was that the toilet opens directly into a food room, which breaches hygiene regulations.
The inspector said: "Toilets must not open directly into a room where food is handled and prepared."
This had also been flagged in a previous inspection back in 2022, and so another HIN was issued.
Concerns were also raised about the café’s Safer Food Better Business pack, specifically the incomplete section on cooling down food.
Staff were unable to identify all of the 14 possible allergens in bought-in pies and pasties, a matter which the officer said would be referred to West Yorkshire Trading Standards for follow-up.
Inside Christines Kitchen in Silsden (Image: Christine's Kitchen)
What the business had to say
The cafe prides itself on preparing fresh, high-quality meals using locally sourced produce amid a deeply challenging economic climate - according to the spokesperson.
On the issue with the toilet, she said: "No customer was able to walk through the cooking preparation area to reach the toilet as a partition had been built that kept the customers out of the kitchen area.
"I had no hot water in [wash basin in] the toilet, only cold. This was because I didn't know it had to be provided.
"The last thing I wanted was a child to scald themselves with hot water."
Have you got a story about running a business in the Bradford district? Email freya.thomson@newsquest.co.uk