MIDTOWN — A banquet kitchen at the Waldorf Astoria hotel was shut down by the Health Department on Monday when inspectors discovered it was overridden with flies.
One of eight banquet kitchens at the tony 301 Park Ave. hotel was forced to close for violations including presence of filth flies, storing food at unsafe temperatures and failure to protect food from potential contamination, according to online records.
The hotel was reinspected and allowed to reopen on Wednesday, according to the DOH.
Waldorf Astoria New York has four restaurants and bars that remained open while that particular kitchen was closed, according to a spokesman for the hotel.
The hotel has 40 banquet rooms for parties with up to 1,500 guests. Recent events included a Broadcasting and Cable Hall of Fame ceremony that took place on Tuesday night, where attendees included Kathie Lee Gifford, Dr. Phil, Al Sharpton and other high-profile guests.
The inspection on Monday was not the first time the hotel has been found flouting the health code. A Sept. 12 inspection found the presence of flies, a lack of vermin-proofing and improper disposal and possible contamination of raw or undercooked food, according to the department’s website. The kitchen remained open after those round of citations.
It wasn't immediately clear whether the September inspection was of the same kitchen that was shut down Monday.
A spokesman for the hotel defended cleanliness at the Waldorf Astoria, and said staff worked quickly to address the issues raised in the recent inspection.
“Along with the safety of our guests, the cleanliness of our hotel is of the utmost importance and is a focal point of our operations,” said a spokesman for Waldorf Astoria New York.
“The management of the hotel takes the New York City’s Department of Health's report seriously and immediately addressed all concerns raised in the recent inspection. We have procedures and sanitation practices in place in order to provide guests with the best possible experience.”
