Loveland’s 1st quarter 2016 Clean Kitchen Awards from Hamilton County

When selecting a place to dine, how do you know if the facility implements proper sanitation and food safety practices?  One way is to tour the kitchen, which is usually not practical for diners.  Another is to view inspection reports prior to venturing out.  A third and perhaps faster method is to look for a Hamilton County Public Health Clean Kitchen Award.  Has the facility received the award and if not, why, are fair questions for management.

“Foodborne illness stories have been prominent in recent months,” says Greg Kesterman, Assistant Hamilton County Health Commissioner.  “Most of what we see in terms of  foodborne illness is preventable, which is why we put emphasis on our education and inspection program with the food service facilities we serve,” he adds.

“The Hamilton County Public Health Clean Kitchen Award represents the gold standard in maintaining safe food service operations,” Kesterman adds.  “The award is not easy to receive. When you see one on display, it points to an operator that takes the responsibility very seriously.

When choosing a place to eat, make sanitation a priority.  You can view inspection data for all food service facilities and listings for all Clean Kitchen Award winners on the Hamilton County Public Health website at www.HCPH.org.   The Clean Kitchen Award reflects inspection data from the previous two years and is not necessarily indicative of current conditions.

The requirements for receiving a Clean Kitchen Award are stringent.  To be considered, facilities must:

• Have fewer than three violations in the previous two years prior to applying;
• Have no “critical” or repeat violations in the previous two years;
• Maintain at least two staff members with Level I Food Handler certification or at least one staff member with a current ServSafe certificate;
• Submit applications along with corresponding documentation;
• Have a minimum of two years of inspection data on file with Hamilton County Public Health.

Following is the list of Loveland area winning operators for the first quarter of 2016: