SAN ANTONIO – One of the most important parts of Fiesta is the food.
While it might not be the healthiest, San Antonio Metropolitan Health District inspectors make sure it’s made safely.
Behind the Kitchen Door is a series where KSAT investigates health inspections of restaurants in San Antonio.
Fiesta De Los Reyes
The sights, smells, and savory snacks in Market Square bring Fiesta to life. Customers told KSAT that food safety is just as important as taste, however.
So we went behind the kitchen door with Metro Health to see how they enforce health code standards during San Antonio’s biggest party.
Metro Health said more than 30 inspectors visit booths at every Fiesta event daily. If the booths don’t pass, they are not allowed to open.
Inspectors check for proper paperwork, including a valid permit for the day, as well as look for a hand and dish washing station that is up to code.
Deborah Liu, a senior environmental health officer for Metro Health, said temperature is one of the major challenges for food safety at Fiesta.
“Keeping the food hot, keeping the food cold, keeping flies away, and the limited space they have in the booth.”
While keeping booths at Fiesta clean can be challenging, vendors say it is crucial to make the events enjoyable for all.
“We don’t want nobody sick,” said Carina, who has run her family’s food booth for decades. “I’ve been sick before from chicken, and it’s very painful.”
If you get sick after eating chicken on a stick or mini tacos at Fiesta, Liu says you can submit a complaint to Metro Health by calling 3-1-1.
“I will say a rule of thumb, if you’re going to order a hot meal, make sure that it’s hot when you eat it,” Liu said. “If you are going to eat something that’s cold, make that it is cold when you eat it.”
Score Guide
100-90 = A (Very Good to Acceptable)
89-80 = B (Acceptable to Marginal)
79 or lower = C (Marginal to Poor)
You can catch Daniela’s BKD reports Thursdays on the Nightbeat. Watch other Behind the Kitchen Door stories here.