Nasty-ass kitchen in an asian restaurant
No way this place passes health safety inspections
He got fired
Video Depicting Unsavory Restaurant Kitchen Goes Viral
LITTLETON, N.H. — The Asian Garden restaurant is under scrutiny for a viral video that provides an unflattering depiction of its kitchen.
The eight minute video was allegedly taken last month by 26-year-old Will Panzino, an employee of Start To Finish of Lewiston, Maine, the cleaning company hired to spray-wash the hoods over the ovens.
Panzino said the video was taken during a late night cleaning appointment at Asian Garden and shows the kitchen with unwashed cooking surfaces, prep areas, floors and cookware, and potentially unhygienic food storage.
However the popular American-Chinese restaurant, which is located off of Exit 42, remained open for business on Friday.
Owner Johnny Hoang confirmed that a state health inspector had been on the premises that morning but found only minor issues, which he said have been addressed by restaurant staff. He said the issue posed no threat to the 13-year-old business or its employees.
“It’s not serious, like the [video] makes it seem,” said Hoang. “We did some minor cleaning yesterday and today and everything is good to go.”
Neither representatives of the state health inspector’s office nor Start To Finish could be reached for comment.
As of Friday evening the video had been watched over 20,000 times and has been widely distributed and shared on social media sites including Facebook and Twitter.
“I put it on YouTube because one of my friends wanted to see it,” said Panzino. “I didn’t expect it to go viral but I guess it’s good because people need to see that.”
According to Panzino, he was fired by Start To Finish on Thursday for posting the video, ending his six-month tenure with the company.
Online reaction to the video has varied.
After watching the video, some have criticized the restaurant for poor hygiene and the state health inspector’s office for perceived lack of oversight. But others have vowed to continue supporting the business whether or not the video is authentic.
Some have criticized Panzino for posting the video at all and for putting the business and its employees at risk. Others have lauded him as a whistleblower who acted in the best interests of public health.
Panzino, who lives in Maine, said he took the video because “I didn’t like what I saw” and not because he harbored ill will toward the restaurant or its owners.
“I don’t have anything against [Asian Garden],” he said. “I don’t know them.”
It is unknown how Asian Garden has performed on past health inspections. State health inspection information for New Hampshire’s restaurants, food services and food stores has not been available online since 2013.
Asian Garden Restaurant
