TEHACHAPI, Calif. (KERO) — Kelcy's Restaurant in Tehachapi plan reopened on Wednesday following a brief closure due to a failed health inspection. According to Michelle Corson with the Kern County Public Health Department, "they were allowed to reopen this morning."
In an email to 23ABC, owner Virginia Sheridan explained that the restaurant's hot water heater broke down on Monday, but shipping delays prevented the parts from arriving prior to Tuesday.
"When we bought the restaurant, it had a single two-bay sink for dishwashing, handwashing, food preparation, and mop sink. There was also a small sink at the garbage disposal Rules were a lot looser back in 1969," said Sheridan. "Before opening, we installed a separate food prep, mop, and handwashing sink for the kitchen. We did not replace the two-bay sink because we used it just for prewash, and then run everything through the dishwasher."
"When the water heater went out on Monday, we first pre-washed the dishes in cold water at the garbage disposal to remove debris. We boiled water on the stove and used it to wash and then rinse the dishes in the two-bay dishwashing sink, and used the food prep sink to sanitize."
"Health code prohibits the food prep sink being used for any other reason. In addition, while at a fair or offsite event, a cold water handwashing station is permitted, while in a restaurant, the handwashing sinks must have hot water. We won't make that mistake again!"
"Of course, that turned out to be the day the health inspector came out for our unscheduled inspection. She immediately shut us down, because we did not have hot running water."
"The violation was NOT that we didn't know how to heat hot water, or use sanitizer. The violation was that we didn't have hot running water, and used the dedicated food prep sink for sanitizing."
"We had the administrative hearing [Tuesday] afternoon and will be open again Wednesday morning 8 a.m. as usual, with our 'A rating restored. On our previous inspection four months ago, we had received 100/100 points. We take food and customer safety very seriously."
Sheridan went on to thank her customers' support.
Kelcy's Restaurant is located at 110 W. Tehachapi Boulevard in Tehachapi.
