Foodies on the Las Vegas Strip looking for a bite to eat at Wolfgang Puck’s restaurant were out of luck this past weekend. The Southern Nevada Health District closed down Wolfgang Puck Bar & Grill at the MGM Grand after an inspection Thursday, Jan. 2.
According to the Las Vegas Review-Journal, the health department found multiple health code violations. Officials said the routine inspection discovered violations relating to inadequate pest control and food safety measures. The closure not only covered the restaurant but also the prep kitchen, butcher shop, bar, server station, exhibition kitchen and the hot line — where the main cooking takes place.
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The department issued 42 demerits in total to Puck’s multiple operations, though the bar and server were not among them.
According to Casino.org, this is believed to be the first time a celebrity chef’s Las Vegas restaurant has been closed by health officials.
The department says, “A closure takes place when an establishment has 41 or more demerits, an imminent health hazard requiring closure, or failed a ‘C’ grade reinspection. An establishment must remain closed until approved to operate by the health district.”
The health department conducted a reinspection Monday, Jan. 6 at Wolfgang Puck Bar & Grill. The restaurant received an “A” grade and was able to reopen.
Puck opened his restaurant at the MGM Grand in December 1992, just a few months after launching his first Vegas restaurant, Spago. His restaurants led other celebrity chefs to open eateries along the Strip, with diners today able to visit restaurants from chefs like Bobby Flay, Guy Fieri and Gordon Ramsay.
[Kennedy Felton]
FOODIES OUT ON THE VEGAS STRIP LOOKING FOR A BITE TO EAT AT A POPULAR CELEBRITY CHEF’S RESTAURANT WERE OUT OF LUCK THIS PAST WEEKEND.
THE SOUTHERN NEVADA HEALTH DISTRICT CLOSED DOWN WOLFGANG PUCK’S BAR AND GRILL AT THE MGM GRAND AFTER AN INSPECTION THURSDAY.
ACCORDING TO THE LAS VEGAS REVIEW- JOURNAL — THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT FOUND MULTIPLE HEALTH CODE VIOLATIONS.
OFFICIALS SAY THE ROUTINE INSPECTION DISCOVERED VIOLATIONS RELATED TO INADEQUATE PEST CONTROL AND FOOD SAFETY MEASURES.
THE CLOSURE NOT ONLY COVERED THE RESTAURANT BUT ALSO THE PREP KITCHEN, BUTCHER SHOP, BAR, SERVER STATION, EXHIBITION KITCHEN AND THE HOT LINE – WHERE THE MAIN COOKING TAKES PLACE.
THE DEPARTMENT ISSUED 42 DEMERITS IN TOTAL TO WOLFGANG’S MULTIPLE OPERATIONS – THOUGH THE BAR AND SERVER WERE NOT AMONG THEM.
ACCORDING TO THE WEBSITE CASINO.ORG – THIS IS BELIEVED TO BE THE FIRST TIME A CELEBRITY CHEF’S LAS VEGAS RESTAURANT HAS BEEN CLOSED BY THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT.
THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT SAYS – “A CLOSURE TAKES PLACE WHEN AN ESTABLISHMENT HAS 41 OR MORE DEMERITS, AN IMMINENT HEALTH HAZARD REQUIRING CLOSURE, OR FAILED A ‘C’ GRADE RE-INSPECTION. AN ESTABLISHMENT MUST REMAIN CLOSED UNTIL APPROVED TO OPERATE BY THE HEALTH DISTRICT.”
THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT CONDUCTED A RE-INSPECTION MONDAY AT WOLFGANG PUCK BAR & GRILL. THE RESTAURANT RECEIVED AN “A” GRADE – AND WAS ABLE TO REOPEN.
PUCK OPENED HIS RESTAURANT AT THE MGM GRAND IN DECEMBER 1992 – JUST A FEW MONTHS AFTER LAUNCHING HIS FIRST VEGAS RESTAURANT – SPAGO.
HIS RESTAURANTS LED OTHER CELEBRITY CHEFS TO OPEN EATERIES ALONG THE VEGAS STRIP – WITH DINERS TODAY ABLE TO VISIT RESTAURANTS FROM CHEFS LIKE BOBBY FLAY, GUY FIERI AND GORDON RAMSAY.
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