QQ Sushi reopens after viral videos show unsanitary conditions

A north Spokane sushi restaurant reopened Tuesday after videos went viral on social media earlier this month depicting the unsanitary ways cooks were preparing meals on the kitchen floor.

Through his attorney, QQ Sushi and Kitchen owner Bao Zhang announced he has met all the obligations set out by inspectors from the Spokane Regional Health District and hired a new staff at the restaurant located at 1902 W. Francis Ave.

Zhang closed the restaurant on Feb. 9 after customers began to respond to videos posted by 27-year-old Elijah Osborn that show employees mixing raw meat and eggs into a bowl on the floor that is later pushed under a counter.

The video also shows raw fish in a sink next to, and resting on, the counter next to other food preparation. In another image, Osborn, who said he was not an employee but had agreed to wash dishes for free food, showed what he said was raw tuna sitting at room temperature inside a plastic dishwashing bin that had only been rinsed out.

“I was deeply disturbed by what I saw on those videos,” Zhang said in a statement last week. “What we all witnessed is not acceptable and we are doing everything we can to make sure this never happens again.”

Kelli Hawkins, spokeswoman for the Health District, confirmed Zhang has addressed the issues brought up by inspectors.

“We worked alongside them to educate their staff and to work with (Zhang) to have safe food handling procedures in place,” Hawkins said. “From what we were able to see, he was OK to open.”

In the most recent statement, Zhang said he took extra time to renovate the kitchen and bought new appliances, utensils and storage containers. He also replaced the entire kitchen staff and hired Brittney Dudycha, who had been working as a server, as the new manager.

“Bao isn’t exaggerating when he says that our customers are like family to us,” Dudycha said in the statement. “All of us at QQ Sushi are ready to put this behind us and get back to serving the Spokane community with great food.”

Hawkins said the Health District will continue to monitor and inspect the restaurant “to make sure they continue with good food handling practices.”