Image Contributor
Completed in mid-August, the most recent inspection of Hoya Court revealed that the establishments now comply with District health codes.

Months after District inspectors identified multiple critical health violations in on-campus restaurants, the establishments were given clean bills of health in another round of inspections last month, according to representatives of the restaurants.

D.C. Department of Health Food Establishment Inspection Reports obtained by The Hoya through a Freedom of Information Act request showed that O’Donovan Hall, Epicurean and Company, the Faculty Club, Hoyas Restaurant, the Jesuit Residence dining hall and the Georgetown Café at the Medical Center were cited for multiple critical violations of District health regulations within the past 11 months. Most of the violations were fixed at the time of the initial inspections with the inspector present.

_Health Violations at ARAMARK Facilities_

O’Donovan Hall, which was ordered closed by the DOH on Oct. 1, 2008, [after a norovirus outbreak](https://www.thehoya.com/news/190-students-infected-in-campus-viral-outbreak/), was cited for eight critical and eight non-critical violations on Feb. 2 of this year. Inspectors found food at the stir-fry station, salad bar, hot food stations and walk-in refrigerator stored at improper temperatures, as well as a dishwasher that did not heat water enough on the final rinse, along with other violations.

Six critical and two non-critical violations were fixed at the time of the inspection, and the cafeteria was placed on five and 45 days notice to comply. Establishments have five days to fix critical violations and 45 days to fix non-critical violations. The DOH does not have any record of a follow-up inspection at O’Donovan Hall, according to Phillip Husband, the department’s FOIA officer.

The Faculty Club and Hoyas Restaurant, which share facilities, were cited for nine critical and eight non-critical violations on Feb. 4. Inspectors found spinach held at an improperly high temperature, hot buffet items that were too cold, cold buffet items that were too hot, rust in an ice machine, a broken garbage disposal, unlabeled spray bottles filled with toxic liquids and other critical violations.

The restaurants were put on five and 45 days notice to remedy the five critical and four non-critical violations not fixed that day. Michael Snead, executive chef of the Georgetown University Hotel and Conference Center, who is the certified food manager for the Faculty Club and Hoyas Restaurant, said the restaurants were inspected again on April 7, with only one non-critical violation found. Snead and Hotel and Conference Center General Manager Jodie Innis declined to provide a copy of that inspection report to The Hoya.

Husband denied that an inspection took place on April 7.

“The inspector assigned to perform the food inspection for the Faculty Club/Hoyas [Restaurant] . on April 7, 2009 reported that the establishment was closed on April 7, 2009 for renovations. As such, there was no operating food establishment to inspect on April 7, 2009. As such, the Department of Health advises me that it has no documents for an inspection of this establishment on April 7, 2009,” he said in an e-mail.

The Faculty Club and Hoyas Restaurant were inspected twice in 2008, with no violations found during the first inspection and two non-critical violations found during the second inspection.

The Jesuit Residence dining hall in Wolfington Hall was cited for four critical and four non-critical violations on Feb. 6, 2009. Inspectors found cold food items served at improper temperatures and rodent droppings behind an ice machine, with the latter categorized as a non-critical violation.

O’Donovan Hall, the Faculty Club, Hoyas Restaurant and the Jesuit Residence dining hall are all operated by ARAMARK.

“ARAMARK is committed to providing a positive, safe and healthy environment for everyone we serve,” said Karen Cutler, ARAMARK’s director of communications. “Our top priority is to ensure that the food served at the university and the Hotel and Conference Center is of the highest quality within the safest environment possible. Managers and employees participate in ongoing training on proper techniques in food handling and food safety procedures.”

Cutler said ARAMARK locations “were re-inspected and found in compliance” in the months after February, although the FOIA request, which covered the period through July 22, turned up no subsequent inspection reports. More recent reports were not immediately available from DOH.

“Any violations found during an inspection are corrected immediately on site,” Cutler said.

_Health Violations at Other On-Campus Establishments_

Epicurean and Company, which was cited for 13 critical violations on Feb. 3, was inspected again on Aug. 19 with no violations found, according to general manager Kanchan Sedhai. He declined to provide a copy of the August inspection report to The Hoya.

In February, Epicurean was cited for holding hot and cold foods at improper temperatures, improper storage of food, lacking a consumer advisory at its sushi bar and on its menus and other violations. A chef was observed handling raw salmon with bare hands – and an employee was seen washing his or her hands with gloves on – both critical violations.

Epicurean was also cited for seven non-critical violations, including a sushi chef wearing a bracelet and a case of trays and lids stored on the floor.

Nine of the 13 critical violations and five of the seven non-critical violations were fixed at the time of the inspection. The restaurant was placed on five and 45 days notice.

Sedhai said the restaurant complies with all municipal regulations.

“Whatever they ask us to do, we do it,” he said.

Georgetown Café, located on the ground floor of the Pasquerilla Healthcare Center, was cited for 10 critical and 16 non-critical violations on Oct. 3 during a complaint-generated inspection. A DOH inspector found expired food in a refrigerator, mold on soda fountain nozzles, food on a steam table and in a refrigerator held at improper temperatures, uncovered food in a refrigerator, toxic liquids stored next to food products and other critical violations. Non-critical violations included mineral buildup on fruit punch and lemonade dispenser lids, carry-out trays improperly stored and other violations.

Although the café was placed on 45 days notice, no other reports were found in response to The Hoya’s FOIA request.

Kumar Putaswamy, director of New Kitchen Services, which operates the café, said the café was inspected on Aug. 20 with no critical and three non-critical violations.

All Corp establishments passed inspections on April 15, with any violations corrected at the time of the inspection. More Uncommon Grounds was cited for two critical violations and Midnight MUG for one critical violation. MUG was asked to clean the interior of its small refrigerator and small ice machine. Midnight MUG was written up for food handlers’ failure to wear hairnets.

Hoya Court outlets Pizza Hut, Subway and Taco Bell were last inspected on Aug. 24, with no violations found. Kentucky Fried Chicken was inspected on Aug. 19 with no violations.”