SANFORD, FL. A state inspector walked into Ichigo Ichie Buffet on South Orlando Drive on September 23, 2026, and found food not cooked to the minimum required temperature, a finding that means pathogens like Salmonella can survive in the food being served to customers at a busy all-you-can-eat restaurant. The facility was not closed.
That single violation was one of six high-severity citations the inspector documented that day. Three additional intermediate violations rounded out the inspection report. Despite the volume and severity of what inspectors found, Ichigo Ichie Buffet remained open and continued serving the public.
What Inspectors Found
The cooking temperature violation sits at the top of the list because its consequences are direct. Poultry that does not reach 165 degrees Fahrenheit can carry live Salmonella into a customer's plate. At a buffet, where trays of food sit under heat lamps and are replenished throughout service, one undercooked batch can reach dozens of diners before anyone notices a problem.
No allergen awareness demonstrated was also cited as a high-severity violation. Staff at the facility could not show inspectors that they understood how to identify or communicate allergen information to customers. Food allergies affect 32 million Americans, and a single service interaction where a customer receives an allergen-containing dish without warning can trigger a reaction severe enough to require emergency care.
Toxic chemicals were found improperly stored or labeled. In a kitchen environment, an unlabeled chemical container near food prep areas or food storage is a poisoning risk that does not require any malfunction to cause harm.
The inspector also cited improper hand and arm washing technique, which is distinct from not washing hands at all. Employees were making an attempt, but the technique was wrong, meaning pathogens remained on hands that were then used to handle food. Food contact surfaces were not properly cleaned or sanitized, creating a secondary contamination pathway. And no person in charge was present or performing duties, a finding that inspectors and public health researchers consistently link to higher rates of critical violations throughout a facility.
The intermediate violations included improper sewage or waste water disposal, single-use items being reused, and inadequate ventilation and lighting.
What These Violations Mean
The combination of violations documented on September 23 describes a kitchen operating without meaningful oversight at multiple levels simultaneously. No manager present, improper handwashing, unsanitized food contact surfaces, and undercooked food are not four separate problems. They are one problem: a facility where the conditions required to prevent foodborne illness were not in place.
The sewage violation adds a layer that is difficult to overstate. Improper waste water disposal in a food service environment creates the possibility of fecal contamination reaching food prep areas. Raw sewage carries pathogens including E. coli and norovirus. A buffet, where food is displayed in open trays in close proximity to kitchen operations, is particularly vulnerable to environmental contamination.
The allergen citation is worth reading carefully. Staff could not demonstrate allergen awareness. At a buffet with dozens of dishes, many containing common allergens including shellfish, tree nuts, soy, and gluten, a customer with a severe allergy is relying on staff to know what is in each tray. That knowledge was not present on September 23.
The Longer Record
The September 23 inspection was not an anomaly. State records show Ichigo Ichie Buffet has been inspected 50 times, accumulating 770 total violations across its inspection history.
The pattern immediately surrounding this inspection makes the picture sharper. On November 19, 2025, inspectors cited 9 high-severity violations and 4 intermediate violations. A follow-up two days later showed 1 high and 1 intermediate remaining. On July 20, 2026, inspectors found 7 high and 5 intermediate violations and issued an emergency closure order for rodent activity. The facility reopened the following day, July 21, after a follow-up inspection found 4 high and 2 intermediate violations still on record.
The facility has been emergency-closed twice in its inspection history. The first closure came in July 2022 for roach activity. The second came in July 2026 for rodent activity. Both times, the facility reopened within 24 hours.
The July 2026 closure is particularly relevant context for the September 23 inspection. Less than 10 weeks after rodent activity forced the restaurant to shut down, inspectors returned and found six high-severity violations including undercooked food, chemical storage failures, and no allergen awareness. The July 21 follow-up that allowed the restaurant to reopen had itself documented 4 high-severity violations.
Open for Business
State inspectors returned the following day, September 24, and documented 1 high-severity and 1 intermediate violation, a reduction that met the threshold to remain in operation.
Ichigo Ichie Buffet served customers through the September 23 inspection and continued operating. A restaurant with 770 violations across 50 inspections, two prior emergency closures, and six high-severity citations on a single day, including food not cooked to safe temperatures, stayed open.
