Washoe County Health District’s Excellence in Food Safety Awards Program
Chefs, restaurateurs, and managers are all too familiar with health inspectors asking questions about food safety, but here’s a question that many haven’t heard: What program publicly recognizes food safety achievements, includes free advertising, and shows members of the community which restaurants care about keeping them healthy?
There’s only one right answer: the Excellence in Food Safety Awards from Washoe County Health District! The Excellence in Food Safety (EFS) Awards program recognizes and showcases food establishments in Washoe County that go the extra mile when it comes to keeping food — and the community that enjoys it — safe. EFS Award winners must demonstrate a long-term commitment to food safety to qualify, and participation in the program publicizes not only the hard work, but also the achievements of restaurants with a food safety focus.
The EFS Awards program was inaugurated in 2020, with the first-ever Excellence in Food Safety Award winner, BJ’s Nevada Barbecue Co. out of Sparks, Nevada. The team at BJ’s demonstrates a hearty commitment to food safety in this family-owned and operated restaurant, which was recognized again in the Fall 2022 issue of edible Reno-Tahoe magazine. In 2021, the program was paused due to the emergency reassignment of health district staff during the COVID-19 pandemic. But Washoe County Health District is excited to announce that the EFS Awards are back with a bang in 2022 as a response to the feats of food safety observed throughout Washoe County.
Each food establishment that meets the EFS Awards program qualifications will receive an official Excellence in Food Safety Award certificate, a window sticker to post at its facility, a digital logo to display on websites and social media pages, and a gold star denoting the restaurant on the Washoe Eats App — not to mention free advertising for the establishment as a winner of the Excellence in Food Safety Award! Winners of the Excellence in Food Safety Award are formally recognized for their accomplishments in front of the Washoe County District Board of Health during a public meeting, featured on the EFS Awards website, and included in promotional materials for future iterations of the program.
Are you an avid restaurant patron, but not a restaurant worker? You can still get involved in the EFS Awards program by supporting the winning restaurants. Your health and the health of your family depend on restaurants taking food safety practices seriously. Restaurants that qualify for the EFS Awards demonstrate that they care about the health of the Washoe County community, and you can support them by enjoying a delicious, healthy, and safe meal. Download the Washoe Eats App and check for a gold star before deciding where to eat, and check for the EFS Awards sticker when walking into the restaurant of your choice.
For all the chefs, restaurateurs, and managers, here are two more important questions for you: Does your restaurant have what it takes to be recognized for Excellence in Food Safety? Are you ready to show the Washoe County community that you care about its health? If you answered “yes” to both of those questions, then apply for the 2022 Excellence in Food Safety Awards! Applications are due by March 31, 2023 and can be submitted on the EFS Awards website. Reach out to your regular health inspector or the WCHD Environmental Health Services front desk at 775-328-2434, option #8, to ask questions and learn more about the program. All qualifying restaurants will be recognized as the 2022 Excellence in Food Safety Awards winners — make sure that your restaurant is on the list.
Participate in the Excellence in Food Safety Awards program with Washoe County Health District, and remember that good food is safe food, and safe food always tastes good!
