St. Mary’s Hospital’s cafeteria, the Café at Buena Vista, recently received a Gold Star Award from the St. Mary’s County Health Department. The cafeteria was recognized for superior compliance with food safety standards and exceptional attention to public health safety and sanitation, explained Daryl Calvano, Environmental Health director. The hospital received a certificate and window sticker to celebrate its achievement.
“Preventing food borne illnesses can only be accomplished through strict adherence to safe food handling practices,” Calvano said. “Health Department inspectors play a critical role in our community’s safety and, through their site visits, observe the practices that lead to the Gold Star Awards.”
Gold Star requirements include no critical violations, no temperature violations cited during a monitoring inspection, all violations noted by an inspector are corrected by a 30-day follow-up inspection, no confirmed unsafe food handling complaints, and at least one food service worker completed a recognized and approved “Food Service Sanitation and Safety Class” within the last two years.
Pictured above: Dr. Bill Icenhower, St. Mary’s County health officer, Paul Ferro, St. Mary’s Hospital director of Nutrition Services, and Jack Russell, President of the St. Mary’s County Board of County Commissioners president
