Rodent droppings on bags of flour, baking racks close Hotel du Pont bake shop
A live mouse in a baking proofer and a "large" amount of rodent droppings on bags of flour, the floor and baking racks at the Hotel du Pont forced the state health department to shut down the Wilmington landmark's bake shop last week.
The shop within the building at 42 W. 11th St. provides guests and customers with baked goods. That includes the Hotel du Pont's signature macaroons, pastries and desserts that are served in the high-end Green Room restaurant and sold at the front desk and gift shop.
Hotel officials said in a statement Monday night that the bake shop reopened 24 hours after its initial failed inspection. The bake shop is currently open.
Officials also clarified that the bake shop's kitchen is located "in the envelope of the former DuPont Corporate headquarters, downstairs on the lower level."
The hotel's restaurant and catering is within the hotel and they do not share kitchen facilities with the bake shop, officials said.
During a routine inspection of the Hotel du Pont bake shop on Dec. 5, a state health official saw a live mouse in a baking proofer. "A large concentration" of rodent droppings was found in a back area of the baking area, on racks, on bags of flour, on the floor by the proofer and in a dish area of a drainboard, the report said.
The flour was discarded and a health inspector noted on the report that hotel management was shown the rodent droppings during the inspection.
The hotel was told to cease-and-desist operations in the bakery due to closure for rodent infestation. Management was advised to protect food, discard any food items that might have been contaminated, clean and sanitize all areas where rodent droppings were found, clean and sanitize all food contact areas such as prep tables and bake ware.
A pest service company came on site, according to the inspection report, and there was a conversation about pest control that included sealing entry points. The pest company was to visit the hotel's baking area daily for a week instead of the previous twice-a-week routine, the report said.
The health inspector wrote on Dec. 5 that a thorough report by the pest control company will be needed before the site is allowed to reopen.
The Hotel du Pont, a 12-story Italian Renaissance landmark building with 217 guest rooms and suites, is widely considered the most elegant, luxurious hotel in the state. Built in 1913, it has been owned by The Buccini/Pollin Group and managed by PM Hotel Group since the DuPont Co. sold the hotel in 2017.
The state Division of Public Health inspectors had long been impressed with the cleanliness of the Hotel du Pont's kitchens when it was owned by the DuPont Co. According to a 2006 News Journal story, they said it was in "exceptionally good condition."
At that time, the hotel operated under the same guidelines as the DuPont Co. and safety is one of the company's core values.
"Safety is a condition of employment," a hotel food and beverage director told The News Journal in 2006.
The News Journal has learned at least 46 businesses have been forced to close temporarily for various health code violations so far in 2018, including some shut down immediately due to imminent health hazards and gross, unsanitary conditions.
Gooey Donuts in Milton and Tutto Fresco, a longtime Italian restaurant in Penny Hill, both closed permanently two months after failing health inspections.
Delawareans won't be able to view details of recent health inspection reports online for a "couple of months," health officials said this week. The Division of Public health planned to update its website by the end of 2018, but now February is the new targeted month.
The department has updated its current inspection website, though officials say it is a "transitional solution."
The web page looks similar to the hard-to-read older version. While it tells when a food establishment was inspected and if it was a routine- or complaint-provoked inspection and what code the establishment violated, it offers no further explanations.
Restaurant inspections:
No permit, roaches close New Castle international wholesaler
Jimmy's of Bridgeville temporarily shut down due to mold in ice machine, lack of handwashing
Discarded cigarette butts, roaches, dead mouse close Newark deli
Contact Meredith Newman at (302) 324-2386 or mnewman@delawareonline.com and on Twitter @MereNewman. Contact Patricia Talorico at (302) 324-2861 or ptalorico@delawareonline.com and on Twitter @pattytalorico.
