Bouchon Is Back Up to an A from the Health Inspectors

Thomas Keller’s Bouchon at the Venetian worked quickly to upgrade their health inspection that led to 40 demerits on Friday, June 15. On Monday, June 18, Southern Nevada Health District inspectors returned and gave the restaurant an A grade with six demerits, according to the health department.

Every other inspection of the restaurant going back to 2004 netted the restaurant an A grade.

Online, Eater Vegas commenters wondered if the regulations had changed since 2004. “Not enough sinks sounds like something that would have been addressed during the building/upkeep stages,” says one commenter. "I used to hate when the health inspectors came into the places I worked because every one of them had a different standard. One month you would get someone that wanted to camp out and test everything, racking up demerits as they plowed through the place. The next time you would get someone who checked all the boxes, made appropriate notations, and went on their way. You never knew what you were going to get!"

Another says, “The health dept is out of control. What applies for one inspection does not the next. The Clark County Health Dept has no consistency. It's seems nowadays that the inspectors come into your unit with the attitude of how much can they punish you for rather than how much can they teach and guide. Your grade depends on how bad of a mood the inspector is in or how important you make them feel when they first walk in. Too many of the inspectors are on power trips. So now when I see poor gradings from the health dept I always wonder what that kitchen did to make the inspector mad to get the poor grade.”

Keller plans to open another Bouchon Bakery on the Strip in front of the Venetian this fall.

The SNHD closes restaurants that land more than 40 demerits.
· Bouchon 1 Point from Shut Down by the SNHD [~ELV~]
· All Coverage of Bouchon [~ELV~]
Bouchon [Photo: Venetian]