Operational changes suggested by a new executive chef at Eau Gallie Yacht Club Restaurant in Indian Harbour Beach should help correct high-priority violation warnings recently noted during routine health inspections, according to General Manager Robert Crissman.
The Eau Gallie Yacht Club restaurant has a staff of about 55-60 including wait staff. It can serve 120 regular customers with events held on site in excess of 200. The restaurant business has 60 percent member activity, 40 percent event like banquets and weddings.
Sanitation and safety inspections were conducted by the Division of Hotels and Restaurants Jan. 1 with a follow-up inspection Jan. 26. In addition to reports of mold and other cleanliness issues, high-priority violation warnings were given for issues including having no hot water, and for food on hand that had been made a day earlier and was spoiled.
“The one violation of out of date food was valid and caused by sloppiness on our staff’s part. Not that that food would have been served, but it should have been thrown out one or two days before. The water heater went out that morning and the contractor was here even when the inspector was still here, but the inspector had already closed the file when it was finished,’’ said Crissman, who has been GM for two years.
Other high-priority violation warnings during the inspections included a heat strip failing to indicate the sanitization temperature of 160 degrees on the dish surface, and small flying insects in the bar area and three drink dispensing areas.
All violations and warnings have been corrected and cleared, and the restaurant staff members are now led by new Executive Chef Mark Adams, hired in the last couple of weeks, who has instilled a new culture of cleanliness among other changes, management said.
One of the things Adams has brought to the table, and introduced on his second day, is that he assigns a mock “health inspector” each day rotating among his entire crew of 24 to look for violations or potential areas of improvement.
“I thought that was a pretty good trick and he’s been doing that for a number of years. Their job is to find something, not to chastise anybody, but to help boost the whole operation and there’s a noticeable difference already,” Crissman said.
The change in culture in the restaurant and maintenance repairs were long overdue. The operational improvements should show a lasting and consistent new commitment toward excellence, he said.
“It wasn’t that bad before but it will improve. I’ve talked to many of the members directly about this and there’s no alarm here,” he said.
