DORAL, FL. Inspectors who visited Knife Steak House at 1455 NW 107th Avenue on May 11 found toxic chemicals improperly stored or labeled near food, a violation that state health records flag as an acute poisoning risk, and walked out leaving the restaurant open to customers.
That single finding was one of six high-severity violations documented during the inspection. Three intermediate violations were also cited. The restaurant was not emergency-closed.
What Inspectors Found
The chemical storage citation stands out because it does not require a series of compounding failures to injure someone. A mislabeled or improperly stored chemical near food preparation surfaces can contaminate a plate directly, with no warning and no symptom delay long enough for a diner to connect cause and effect.
Inspectors also cited the restaurant for having no written employee health policy, or an inadequate one. That means there is no formal system requiring sick workers to stay out of the kitchen.
Food contact surfaces were found not properly cleaned or sanitized, and multi-use utensils were flagged under a separate intermediate citation for the same underlying failure. The restaurant was also cited for improper hand and arm washing technique, meaning employees were making handwashing attempts that still left pathogens on their hands.
Two additional high-severity violations rounded out the list. Inspectors cited the restaurant for failing to properly use time as a public health control, a method that permits food to remain outside safe temperature ranges only when strict time tracking is followed. They also found no consumer advisory posted for raw or undercooked foods, a requirement that exists specifically to warn pregnant women, elderly diners, and people with compromised immune systems.
What These Violations Mean
The chemical storage violation is the kind that food safety officials classify as an immediate hazard. When cleaning agents, sanitizers, or pesticides are stored near or above food without proper labeling and separation, a single spill or mislabeled container can introduce toxic compounds directly into a meal. There is no cooking step that neutralizes most chemical contaminants.
The absence of an employee health policy is a structural failure, not an isolated incident. Without a written policy, there is no mechanism to keep a worker with Norovirus, Salmonella, or Hepatitis A away from food preparation. Norovirus alone accounts for roughly 20 million illnesses in the United States each year, and a single infected food handler can expose dozens of diners in a single shift.
Improper handwashing technique compounds the risk. The citation does not mean employees skipped handwashing entirely. It means the technique used was insufficient to remove pathogens, which is a harder problem to fix than a missing sink.
The consumer advisory violation is specific to a steakhouse. A restaurant that serves raw or undercooked beef, including preparations like tartare or steaks cooked below 145 degrees, is required by state code to post a written notice so that high-risk diners can make an informed decision. Without it, a pregnant woman or a diner on immunosuppressive medication has no way of knowing the menu carries elevated risk.
The Longer Record
The May 11 inspection was not an outlier. State records show Knife Steak House has been inspected 29 times and has accumulated 404 total violations across its history. The restaurant has never been emergency-closed.
The eight most recent prior inspections, dating to June 2024, show a consistent pattern of high-severity citations. In December 2024 alone, inspectors visited twice within a week. The December 3 visit produced 10 high-severity and 4 intermediate violations. The December 26 visit produced 7 high and 4 intermediate violations.
The pattern did not improve in 2025. Inspectors returned in January and found 5 high-severity violations. They returned again in October and found 5 more. A December 2025 inspection produced 3 high-severity citations.
The May 2026 inspection, with its 6 high-severity findings, fits squarely in the middle of that range. It is neither the worst inspection in the restaurant's recent history nor a sign of improvement.
Open for Business
State inspectors documented six high-severity violations at Knife Steak House on May 11, including toxic chemicals stored near food, no sick-employee policy, improperly sanitized food contact surfaces, and no warning posted for diners ordering raw or undercooked meat.
The restaurant was not closed.
Customers who visited Knife Steak House after the inspection had no way of knowing any of it.