News Releases from Department of Health

HONOLULU – The Hawai‘i Department of Health (DOH) issued a red placard and immediately shut down Dick’s Lechon at 94-235 Hanawai Circle in Waipahu, (vending at Waikele Shopping Center), due to the mobile unit receiving food from an unapproved source.

The food establishment, operated by Dick’s Lechon Corp, received the red placard on Feb. 29 and must remain closed until DOH conducts a follow-up inspection.

An inspection done on Feb. 22, 2024, by DOH revealed the following critical violations:

• The mobile establishment’s support kitchen was found to be under construction and unusable. The mobile establishment’s employee stated food is being prepared at a home kitchen.

The inspection done on Feb. 29, 2024, by DOH revealed the following critical violations:

• The mobile establishment was observed operating and the support kitchen was found to be still under construction and unusable. Food was thus being received from an unapproved source.

DOH is requiring the food establishment to obtain an approved source of food and is not able to operate until a DOH-approved support kitchen is secured.

A follow-up inspection will be conducted once the support kitchen renovations are completed, or a new support kitchen is found, and the mobile unit passes a new pre-operational inspection.

The DOH Food Safety Branch protects and promotes the health of Hawai‘i residents and visitors through education of food industry workers and regulation of food establishments statewide. The branch conducts routine health inspections of food establishments where food products are prepared, manufactured, distributed, or sold.

For more information on the department’s placarding program go to http://health.hawaii.gov/san/

To view restaurant inspection reports, go to http://hi.healthinspections.us/hawaii/.

# # #