Comments on: Cer Te Says DOH is Causing the “McDonaldization of NYC”

By: dbug42

dbug42 — Fri, 01 Jul 2011 15:16:46 +0000

I’ll accept most of Cer Te’s explanation, but I’m sorry, I still can’t get past the hand washing violation. I can buy the hot water story but the lack of soap grosses me out. Just rinsing after dropping a deuce doesn’t cut it.

By: Chubby Jamaican

Chubby Jamaican — Thu, 30 Jun 2011 20:46:47 +0000

I just really have to balk at the lack of common sense that goes into these comments.
I am on Certe’s side,they have always treated me well and I depend on them on a daily basis not just for my personal meals but of my executives and colleagues.
The DOH has closed too many a great restaurant on simple equipment flaws and it will not happen to Certe on my watch.
The “violations” that the DOH has doled out against Certe are fixable,treatable and non threatening to immediate food contamination.
As a person who worked many years in the restaurant field I can tell you that these violations could be worse and are only given glorification by people who do not completely understand the motives of the DOH.
If I was Certe, I would have displayed the grade more prominently with a sigh next to it that, “we have made reccommended changes by the DOH and are awaiting their next review.”
Lots of things the average person does not know about the restaurant business is aside from temperature requirements, hand washing and equipment sanitation is that at any given time any restaurant can be in violation of the DOH simply from the nature of the work.

If water isnt immediately present at a food preparation station, it is acceptable to use gloves, which Certe does, however when was the last time any of you saw a hand washing station ontop of a food preparation station?
Not even at Mcdonalds and I know Certe has handwashing stations but they are not immediately ontop of the stations.
During lunch hour, while equipment is in use how is it possible to sanitize at the same time of food preparation?
No soap in the bathroom? Cmon, thats utter madness.
No thermometers?maybe the DOH agent stole them, whatever it is…these violations are simply preposterous.
In a cooling station in the middle of the summer when the area is opened frequently, naturally the temperature will rise and cause the thermometer to read higher or not cool enough.
In any event if people dont stop making the DOH the Gods of their food consumption we are all F*u#c*d.
Says the girl finishing her Certe boxed lunch at her desk :)

By: charlie

charlie — Wed, 29 Jun 2011 14:50:18 +0000

Thanks Dan L. for the geography lesson. Do some research and you will see the outer boroughs are less frequented then midtown NYC, why is that? Do you know what these fines cost? They are planning to hit the trucks and street vendors soon, How will they survive?

By: RBS05

RBS05 — Wed, 29 Jun 2011 14:11:01 +0000

I like how it’s “facts not excuses” which is immediately followed by “inspection during lunch rush 1:30pm”.

It also sounds like your explanation for #1 would clearly fit in the violation qualifier of “except during necessary preparation”. You’re either being untruthful or you couldn’t successfully appeal that slam dunk, which may say even more.

By: Dan L

Dan L — Wed, 29 Jun 2011 12:25:32 +0000

Yes, thank god we have Brooklyn, where we are free from the clutches of the dreaded DOH!

Oh, wait a minute. That makes no fucking sense. Never mind.

By: meyekull

meyekull — Wed, 29 Jun 2011 11:21:33 +0000

All of these points could have been raised at a hearing. If they were valid, the violations would have been removed. I’ve personally attended hearings recently and had violations removed and points reduced. We all have to follow the same standards.

By: charlie

charlie — Tue, 28 Jun 2011 22:14:08 +0000

I am a chef and have to side with certe. I watched a generation of young american chefs take new york city to be the food capital of the world a couple of decades ago. Recently, I see lots of chain, theme and multi unit restaurants opening up in NYC and watering down the hard work of those chefs in the 80s-present. At least we have BROOKLYN!!!!!

By: Certe

Certe — Tue, 28 Jun 2011 20:43:57 +0000

• Sanitary Violations
1) Cold food item held above 41º F (smoked fish and reduced oxygen packaged foods above 38 ºF) except during necessary preparation.
2) Appropriately scaled metal stem-type thermometer or thermocouple not provided or used to evaluate temperatures of potentially hazardous foods during cooking, cooling, reheating and holding.
3) Hand washing facility not provided in or near food preparation area and toilet room. Hot and cold running water at adequate pressure to enable cleanliness of employees not provided at facility. Soap and an acceptable hand-drying device not provided.
4) Food not protected from potential source of contamination during storage, preparation, transportation, display or service.
5) Sanitized equipment or utensil, including in-use food dispensing utensil, improperly used or stored.

Yes, this was our most recent health inspection which gave us a grade C. First, to be clear, we are not making excuses and if anyone knows this, it is ML Readers. We have always accepted your feedback in the past, and will always continue. We are discussing our issues with the DOH from the restaurant point of view. To go line by line:

FACTS NOT EXCUSES (Inspection during lunch rush 1:30 pm)…
1. This was a violation from a whole salmon that was just delivered to our premises 30 minutes before and was on the butcher’s cutting board ready to be cut up and grilled.
2. This violation was due to the fact the butcher had a stem thermometer in his pocket and did not use it on the salmon (double violation).
3. (15 pointer) This was due to the building had no hot water as discussed previously. If you are familiar with the DOH and how they write up violations, it is usually one part of a cut-and-paste summary that is the true violation.
4. Our muffins were 2 inches higher that our glass guard.
5. A Chef’s knife was in the sanitizing solution bucket. They require it to be dry and left on the cutting board and just to be wiped.

We acknowledge that the DOH is here for food safety and we are all for that, but as explained in previous communication, we believe there is more to it. Since the letter grading system was instituted, every restaurant has accrued on an average of a 300% increase in what is paid out to the DOH and consultants to help with compliance. We have stated that we will work hard and strive for the A at this point no matter what the costs are to us, our clients, and our employees. We are members and strong believers in the “slow food” movement and whether you like our food or not, it does have a distinct freshness that appeals to most. Take a hard and close look at the Midtown restaurants with A’s and ask 2 questions: 1. Can I afford to eat here every day for lunch? and 2. Do I believe all their food was made on premise? We understand how this sounds like we are making excuses, but we are very frustrated with the system and truly do feel it puts us at a disadvantage. We highly resent the word “filthy” to be associated with our restaurants and still hold to our invitation to anyone who would like a tour.

By: whitesaucehotsauce

whitesaucehotsauce — Tue, 28 Jun 2011 17:04:51 +0000

Thank you for saying what I’ve always been thinking.

By: eatingbeets

eatingbeets — Tue, 28 Jun 2011 15:55:44 +0000

The thing with Cer Te is that it’s really not that good.