News Releases from Department of Health

HONOLULU, HI – The Hawai‘i State Department of Health (DOH) issued a red “closed” placard and immediately shut down Giailex Kitchen (WNC 544) due to improper cold holding, no consumer advisory warning, and improper food storage. The mobile establishment is located at 1474 Liliha Street in Honolulu and was vending out of Pearl City Industrial Park in front of the Hawai‘i National Guard Armory.

Giailex Kitchen, which is operated by Vanessa Asuncion, received the red placard on August 9, 2023, and must remain closed until DOH conducts a follow up inspection and all the violations are resolved. 

During a routine inspection conducted on August 9, 2023, the DOH inspector noted critical violations including:

• Potentially hazardous food (PHF) being held above 41 F with no options to properly cold hold PHF.
• No consumer advisory warning on the menu (proper warning statements to notify consumers of the potential dangers of eating raw or undercooked meats, poultry, or seafood).
• Improper food stacking in the undercounter refrigerator (raw steak in a sealed tray observed on top of ready to eat food items) – corrected on site.

DOH is requiring the food establishment to take the following corrective actions before it can reopen:

• Cold hold all potentially hazardous food (PHF) at 41 F or cooler.
• Put a consumer advisory warning on the menu.

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About

The Hawai‘i State Department of Health 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/.