wrote out a list of what the SF Department of Health is looking for
X, work your magic.
non negotiable
- a valid permit, posted, visible from the front door
- a three-compartment sink, and separately, a handwash sink you do not put anything in
- hot water at 120°F at the warewashing sink, measurably, on a thermometer we bring
- cold holding at 41° or below, hot holding at 135° or above, no in-between
- a certified food protection manager on staff within 60 days, not "someone who took a class"
- thermometers in every refrigeration unit, and sanitizer test strips you can actually locate
- no bare hand contact with ready-to-eat food
- doors that self-close with no gap over a quarter inch, because that is how they get in
- surfaces that are smooth, non-absorbent, and cleanable — this disqualifies your reclaimed wood
- a grease interceptor, sized correctly, which you were told about at plan review
strongly preferred
- plan review completed before construction, not discovered afterward
- a written policy for sending sick employees home
- someone awake in the building during all 24 of the hours you are open
Immediate closure if: no hot water, sewage backup, vermin infestation, or no valid permit. That last one is not negotiable and never has been.