DETROIT (WXYZ) — Omar Mitchell, the executive chef and owner of Table No. 2 in Detroit is striving for a Michelin star.
His restaurant was the first one to sign up for Detroit’s 'Dining with Confidence' pilot project.
Restaurants that volunteer to participate in the ‘Dining with Confidence’ pilot project and pass their inspections with flying colors will receive a green and white ‘In Compliance' placard to post for all to see.
“It’s very, very, very important to know that because if you're going into a restaurant that is not up to code, it needs to be addressed,” Chef Mitchell said.
And Chef Mitchellhopes many more restaurants will volunteer to take part.
The Detroit Health Department conducts routine inspections to ensure restaurants are operating safely and according to department guidelines, but there is no signage at the restaurants posting about their compliance. Until now.
One of the 60 restaurants to sign up for the pilot project since the program launched in October is Nathan’s Deli on East Jefferson in Detroit.
”We're actually the first restaurant in Detroit to receive that,” said Nathan's Deliowner Mare Martini, proudly pointing to the new 'In Compliance' placard on display behind the cash register.
“I think that once restaurants understand and they do take part, it's just an extra little thing for the customers to feel confident where they're dining. I think it will benefit restaurants," Martini explained.
There are approximately 1900 unique food establishments in Detroit.
“The vast majority of our restaurants here in the city of Detroit are already compliant. We just want to have an easy way for our citizens, our guests from out of town, to know that the restaurant is following the rules,” said Phil Jones, Community Food Specialist for City of Detroit - District 3.
You may know Phil Jones as the Detroit Free Press 2021 ‘Chef of the Year.’ But now he's focused on educating others. He's been tapped by Detroit council member Scott Benson to recruit restaurants for the placard pilot program.
“There are 48 million cases of food-borne illness in the United States every year, and fully 60% of those come from restaurants. So, we just want to make sure that people are having better health outcomes,” Jones said.
Detroit restaurants can sign up for the ‘Dining with Confidence’ pilot until the spring of 2024.
If a restaurant is not in compliance, it will not receive the placard until it corrects any violations.
You can visit the Detroit Health Department's siteto learn more about the'Dining with Confidence' pilot program and see any vioations that were cited during recent inspections.
