St. Charles County Department of Community
Health & The Environment

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: January 8, 2010

Local Eateries Set “Gold” Standard for Food Safety
Thirteen St. Charles County establishments earn 24 Carrot Gold Awards

St. Charles County, Missouri – For the third consecutive year, the St. Charles County Department of Community Health and the Environment has recognized local food service establishments for raising the standard in the industry. Last week, the 24 Carrot Gold Food Safety Excellence Awards were presented to 13 local eateries that demonstrated excellence in food safety and sanitation, as well as successful employee education.

"This was a stellar year for showcasing the high level of food safety practiced in St. Charles County by all types of food service providers," said Pieter Sheehan, director of the Division of Environmental Health and Protection. "Our 24 Carrot Gold Award winners for 2009 represent well-known chain restaurants, locally owned restaurants, a family owned grocery store, a family owned bakery, county schools, a casino, and one of the nation’s premier manufacturers of industrial-grade kitchen refrigerators."

The following is the list of the 24 Carrot Gold Food Safety Excellence Award recipients for 2009:

• Mannino’s Market, 5205 Highway N in Cottleville
• Taco Bell/Kentucky Fried Chicken, 620 S. Fifth Street in St. Charles
• Chipotle Mexican Grill, 112 Laura Key Drive in O’Fallon
• Wingstop, 8610 Mexico Road in O’Fallon
• True Manufacturing, 2001 East Terra Lane in O’Fallon
• Fort Zumwalt Westhoff Elementary, 900 Homefield in O’Fallon
• Red Robin, 7821 Highway N in Dardenne Prairie
• T.G.I. Friday’s, 2000 First Capitol Drive in St. Charles
• Lewis & Clark’s Restaurant, 217 South Main Street in St. Charles
• Ameristar Production Kitchen, 1260 South Main Street in St. Charles
• BC’s Kitchen, 11 Meadows Circle Drive in Lake Saint Louis
• Holt High School, 600 Campus Drive in Wentzville
• P Rosciglione Bakery, 2265 Bluestone Drive in St. Charles

"While every food service facility under our jurisdiction meets food safety requirements, these 13 award winners exceed the standard," Sheehan noted. "One of the underlying themes in bestowing this recognition is the collaborative nature of food safety efforts - industry, consumers, and the Health Department working together to ensure the public’s well-being. By achieving this honor, our recipients demonstrate their commitment to protecting the community’s health."

An example of this commitment to improving the community is that many of those awarded this year are credited with distributing unused food supplies to area charitable organizations to minimize waste.

To be eligible for consideration, recipients of the 24 Carrot Gold Awards cannot have any critical violations in the last 12 months, and no more than six non-critical violations in the same time period. In addition, at least 90 percent of the food facility managers at the establishment must have valid food safety certification. The facility must also have a valid St. Charles County Food Establishment Permit and be in good standing with the Department of Community Health and the Environment.

The St. Charles County Department of Community Health and the Environment is committed to the protection and enhancement of health and the quality of life for all members of our community. For more information, call (636) 949-7400 or visit www.scchealth.org.

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