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Sushi Chef Fired For Making A Stand Against NYC DOH Gloves Rule
By
Nell Casey
Published Nov 16, 2015
Modified Nov 16, 2015
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By
Nell Casey
Published Nov 16, 2015
Modified Nov 16, 2015
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
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A lauded sushi chef is out of a job following a weeks-long crusade against the Department of Health. In late October, the DOH shuttered Sushi Dojo and its outpost Sushi Dojo Express after finding chefs creating their sushi without using gloves.
Chef David Bouhadana has since become an outspoken critic of the agency, calling the rule "BS" and starting a petition to change the DOH's rule. Bouhadana—who earned the restaurant high praise from the Times among others—had some culinary heavyweights in his corner. Unfortunately, that did not include the restaurant's owner, Boris Lidukhover.
Sushi Dojo was permitted to reopen on Friday but Bouhadana has been given the boot, Eater reported. Lidukhover told the site he fired the chef over "unprofessional conduct and deliberate repeated violations of NYS DOH codes and regulations that took place on numerous occasions." When it's your restaurant, feel free to take a stand; when it's someone else's dime, watch your back.
The elaborate glove dance is likely finished at Sushi Dojo and the remaining chefs aren't likely to speak out against the DOH, which Post columnist Steve Cuozzo condemns as "inspection Nazis" and "health tyrants." Anthony Bourdain has also criticized the "monstrous" glove policy.
Despite a November 12th inspection, which yielded zero violation points, Sushi Dojo still has a Grade Pending status from the Department of Health.
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david bouhadana
doh
gloves
health department
sushi
sushi dojo
Nell Casey
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