Mark This as a Fail For DineSafe as Toronto's Restaurant Inspection Program Yet to Offer Non-English Guidelines
News this week spread of Ruby's final closure thanks to bankruptcy. The popular Chinese restaurant also made headlines earlier this month for shutting its doors after failing two consecutive health inspections.
But would Ruby's have been closed in the first place if Toronto's DineSafe program offered its guidelines in other languages?
Ok, maybe it would have. I'm obviously making a lot of assumptions about Ruby's staff and their English proficiency with that question.
But, on the other hand, the garbage disposal calendar the city distributes has sections in various languages. Or, to use another, more specific example, the city of Toronto's official newsletter comes in 11 languages.
Why, then, is something as important as Toronto's DineSafe guidelines only available in English?
DineSafe launched in 2001 in Toronto, and requires that all restaurants disclose their inspection results to customers. The green, of course, signifies a pass, while yellow denotes a conditional pass and red a failure to meet inspection standards. The city of Toronto's website offers tips on how to pass your DineSafe inspection. But again, it's only in English.
I headed to Bloorcourt to get some opinions. The area is a mecca for yummy ethnic restaurants ranging from Portuguese to Japanese, Mexican, Eritrean, Korean, Indian, Greek and Ethiopian. Everyone I spoke to thought the guidelines should be translated.
"Toronto speaks so many different languages," said Senait. She joined the area seven months ago with her new Ethiopian restaurant Zagol. According to Tourism Toronto's website, Toronto houses more than "5,000 restaurants reflect[ing] tastes, cultures and ingredients from around the world." I assume people in the food industry whose first language isn't necessarily English also accompany these many tastes, cultures and ingredients.
One restaurateur told me he's interpreted food preparation instructions for his staff before. "If you want that traditional food, it's usually the older people who don't necessarily speak English that cook it." He manages his kitchen and is certified in food handling. The city requires that someone with a food handling certificate supervise the kitchen at all times while it's operating.
This issue doesn't just affect "ethnic" restaurants. Look in the kitchens of your typical burger joints. You'll find people from all walks of life, with various levels of English proficiency.
Mebrak, who's been with Cleopatra restaurant for nine years, put it best. "It's important people really understand how to handle food. It's about safety for everyone."
The city can do its share by adding more languages to the DineSafe menu.
Comments (49)
Excellent question. We pride ourselves in authentic ethic foods in Toronto yet we don't have adequate avenues for people who want to make us a delicious dish. i wonder if you look at shutdowns from health inspections you would find that the majority of them would be ethnic eateries.
While I agree that Toronto's diverse multicultural population should warrant more translations, it is an additional bureaucratic burden.
Our laws (http://laws.justice.gc.ca/) are only in both official languages yet that doesn't mean that someone who doesn't speak English or French doesn't have to obey them.
The onus is on the business owner to setup their business within the letter of the law, regardless of who their clientele is.
Of course the majority would be more ethnic eateries, Canadian and American cuisine isn't exactly plentiful as a whole.
If you come to Canada you should learn our language before you go into business here. Why is it our job to cater to the various languages outside of our national languages? If you can't speak or read English and you receive guidelines in English than it's your job to have them translated. It's bloody ridiculous to put this on the DineSafe program.
Couldn't agree with you more. If you operate a business in Canada you should be able to communicate to your customers in at least one of the two official languages.
But "cockroach" and "stanky" are universal.
Should the city strive to accommodate every possible nationality and language on earth? Should the city hire health multi-lingual health inspectors? NO! If you do business here, you should know enough to be able to communicate with authorities!
If I open a burger joint in Shanghai, should I moan and complain that all the signs are in Chinese?
You must be joking? Isn't it strange that the sign says "pass"...who cares what language this is written in. The real problem is that the overpaid bureaucrat who did the "inspection" was incompetent.
You are all telling me you dont like your food smeared with dysentary?
Liars the lot of you's !
Now lets get 99.9% of Spadina restaurants to go "bankrupt" next.
this article is ridiculous. If they were closed forever for keeping their food at 0.5C too warm a temperature oyu'd have a case. Someone fucking DIED here... you don't need a translator for this one.
Not understanding what is safe food prep is just insane no matter what language you speak, it's common sense when it comes to proper food safety. It's obvious no matter what language that city provided their inspections in, they still would have not passed. The business was obviously operating on the premise of making as much money by cutting as many corners without getting caught or until someone died. Guess what! Someone died first!
Im shocked to hear a story like this come from a Chinese restuarant. I never would have pegged those establishments to be anything short of spotless.....Oh wait.....i remember now...rats in everyone one. Thats right.
Sorry, but although I myself am an immigrant from a non-English speaking country (middle east) I have to disagree. If you live here you have to speak and read at least one of the official languages of Canada.
Did you write about EMS workers who were having a hard time with someone because they didn't speak english and you criticized Toronto EMS for not having a person on hand that spoke that language of the victim?
what does this have to do with language.. I am surprised you didn't write a big article on Maple Leaf cold cuts, Walkerton water? huh? you think English speaking restaurants are clean?? you obviously have not worked at restaurants at wonderland.. my sister used to work there.. and she foud worms and bugs in strawberries.. boss told her to serve the strawberries to customers.. and didnt Loblaws at Bayview and Lawrence have a hepatitis outbreak recently? just because Ruby is a chinese restaurant and happens to be in Scarborough..it attracts so much attention....i am not sure at this point, they have proved there was a direct link between the restaurant and people getting sick..they still haven't pressed any charges yet..
"Should the city strive to accommodate every possible nationality and language on earth? Should the city hire health multi-lingual health inspectors? NO! If you do business here, you should know enough to be able to communicate with authorities!
If I open a burger joint in Shanghai, should I moan and complain that all the signs are in Chinese?"
+1000000000000
people think eating raw cauliflower and broccoli is safe? just look closer next time.. as there are tons of tiny worms and bugs on the flowers... and you know how the grow mushroom? in manure, and you eat it raw too?
This blog's suggestion is ridiculous.
Sure, let's waste resources printing foreign language materials, training inspectors, etc.
How about fuck the person who's too filthy to bother keeping their establishment up to snuff.
What every happened to "I'm going to run a clean business." Stop assuming we need to pander to businesses that may while that they didn't know you couldn't piss on the customer and stay in business.
The writer suggesting this needs to find a better cause celebre.
What does languages have to do with "passing or failing" a restaurant inspection?
If management isn't wise enough to control it's employees or level of cleanliness guidelines, then maybe they shouldn't be opened.
If you an immigrant living here, it's nice that the government provides you with literature to help you.
If you want to run a business here, follow the rules, pay someone to translate, ignorance of the law is not an excuse.
I think the rules should stay in the official languages. English is my 3rd language, i accepted that i will have to learn it when i decided I'll live here.
It's the restauranteur's responsibility to ensure his/her staff is following the guidelines. If the restauranteur doesn't speak English, it's their responsibility to ask for a translation. I've yet to hear one bring up this argument because it's pretty ridiculous.
Until restauranteurs are fighting for DineSafe in other languages, this whole conversation is pointless.
Here is Dine Safe's report card for Ruby:
FAILURE TO PROTECT FOOD FROM CONTAMINATION
IMPROPER MAINTENANCE / SANITATION OF FOOD CONTACT SURFACES / UTENSILS /EQUIPMENT
IMPROPER MAINTENANCE / SANITATION OF NON-FOOD CONTACT SURFACES / EQUIPMENT
IMPROPER MAINTENANCE / SANITATION OF WASHROOMS
INADEQUATE PEST CONTROL
CONDITION(S) FOR CLOSURE: Operator fail to prevent an insect infestation
If you think these problems came from a mere lack of translation, I'm not sure what to tell you.
I understand what you are saying regarding older chefs not speaking English, but surely somebody can translate the guidelines for them if they are truly interested in food safety.
That really makes you wonder what that red sauce you dip your chicken balls into is made from??
How many languages? The most common ones - or are they very likely to be substantially assimilated. So instead we should be focusing on least prevalent, like Xhosa?
Fail - learn an official language or hire translators.
It was also noteworthy that the Globe's food critic gave Ruby a passing grade the same week that it was closed down. The review actually appeared in the Saturday's paper after the closing.
i have seen kids licking those ketchup dispenser thing at popular burger joints.. instead of giving out small packs of ketchup, they are letting customers do the work.. just wait and see.. people will be getting swine flu and food poisoning from the ketchup..coz these kids are sucking ketchup like there is no tomorrow
It would be nice if the guidelines were available in other languages, but come on give me a freak'in break! No matter what language you speak or read dirty food preparation isn't tolerated in Toronto! THE END!!!!
Yes this is a multicultural city, but immigrants must integrate into our society. Speaking one of the official languages is a must. Not speaking an official languages is a rejection of canada.
Respect is mutual.
some people who speak only one language, such as English, have this fear of other people who don't speak "their" language(english) and automatically feel "superior" just because they speak english...people should open their eyes by learning more languages so they can under other cultures better.. food safety has never been a big priority in chinese culture and cooking..(i am sure I will get yelled at by saying that, but it's true).. there is always a saying in hk.."Big germ eats small germ" whenever people complain about how dirty the food is.. especially among the older generation of chinese people...if you go to some of the restaurants in HK, you will see how dirty they are.. and people eat on the street, and the street vendors are so dirty..that's just part of the culture, and part of the fun..and if you go to a chinese restaurant here in toronto, you will see chinese people rinsing their cups, chopsticks with hot tea before they use them.. now you know why.. this is common practice in HK.. coz they know the restaurants don't disinfect the dishes very well..this is esp true after SARS...
It's interesting to see that people have one voice in this comment section, unlike on other topics. I guess that no matter how different our opinions are, common sense still rules.
I too, agree that when we're in Rome we have to do as the Romans do. No excuses. No matter how diverse we are, we have to follow local ground-rules and its language.
I'd be completely and utterly shocked if your average English speaking line cook has read the actual DineSafe guidelines. All that's needed is that one person who is in charge of training the staff read English, so while it would be nice if translations were provided, it shouldn't be necessary. Every restaurant must have somebody familiar with English involved somewhere along the line, I'd assume -- the paperwork for running a business in this country (taxes, business licenses, liquor, ordering, etc, etc) would demand it.
Plus, there's absolutely no way a business gets completely shut down for health code violations out of ignorance of the code. The kind of severe violations -- like infestations, non-working refrigeration, etc -- that get a business shut down are common sense, didn't need a document to tell you that stuff.
So, sure, translate the DineSafe guidelines, that'd be a nice service to offer. But anyone who thinks that a lack of translation justifies running a unsafe restaurant has taken cultural sensitivity just a little too far.
Translation isn't the issue. Restaurants that have rats/unsafe food aren't going to read the translated guidelines and suddenly say "Oh, I didn't realize that was a problem!"
I am assuming the person that owns the place lives in a big mansion in Markham and speaks English fine...
They just don't give a shit.
Seriously?! There is NO excuse for having a place with such unsanitary conditions that it kills someone!
Very much agreed.
I think it's a huge travesty that my traditional Klingon restaurant failed because the city refused to translate their dining regulations into Klingon!
Not to mention the very act of serving gagH violates several of those laws...
It is ridiculous and rather presumptuous to assume that the language spoken by a restaurant's owner's/employee's are to blame. To grossly assume that an ethnic eating establishment would have lower sanitary standards than a restaurant run by English speaking staff is actually quite demeaning. Many places in Chinatown are dumps, but that doesn't mean standards in Asian countries are necessarily lower. This kind of viewpoint is not only egotistical but also a blatant display of plain ignorance.
Edited:
It is ridiculous and rather presumptuous to assume that the language spoken by a restaurant's owner/employees is to blame. To grossly assume that an ethnic eating establishment would have lower sanitary standards than a restaurant run by English speaking staff is actually quite demeaning. Many places in Chinatown are dumps, but that doesn't mean standards in Asian countries are necessarily lower. This kind of viewpoint is not only egotistical but also a blatant display of plain ignorance.
Does a cop write a ticket in any other language? No, but I would bet that no matter what language you speak, you will understand the fine once it's handed to you. If people choose to be in the food business, then they must make an effort to teach themselves what they need to know to survive, no matter what language it's in.
I would find it hard to believe that English-only DineSafe info is to blame for the condition of unsanitary restaurants. However, it would make perfect sense to me that DineSafe guidelines would be a priority for translation into other languages. The city offers lots of other services and literature in multiple languages, and considering that many new immigrants start out in the service industry as they build up their English skills and Canadian experience I don't see why it would be so ridiculous to have relevant information translated.
I agree, if you come here to open a business you have to speak one of our languages.
I am bothered by business' that have signs that have no English on them at all. If you come to this country and want us to welcome you, you have to welcome us as well. What if I opened a business and only offered my service to White, English speaking people, refusing to serve anyone non white. That is what business's with no English on them are doing, refusing to serve the country that welcomed them.
How do they follow our tax laws if they can't read English or French? I imagine they are quite creative at tax time. However when it comes to health and safety they speak no English.
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