NYC Health Inspection Kitchen Checklist: How to Prepare and Pass

The NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOH) letter grade system is one of the most visible indicators of a restaurant’s quality. An A in the window builds trust. A B or C can drive customers away. Preparing for DOH inspections should be an ongoing practice, not a last-minute scramble.

This checklist covers every area of kitchen cleanliness that the DOH evaluates, with specific attention to the areas that overlap with exhaust system maintenance.

How the NYC DOH Grading System Works

NYC restaurant inspections use a point-based scoring system. Each violation carries a specific point value. The fewer points, the better your grade:

Grade	Points	What It Means
A	0–13	Excellent — minimal or no violations
B	14–27	Needs improvement — multiple violations
C	28+	Serious issues — significant violations
Grade Pending	—	Re-inspection pending after initial B or C

Inspections are unannounced. You will not know the date in advance. Your kitchen must be inspection-ready at all times.

The Complete Kitchen Checklist

Food Temperature and Storage

This is the highest-priority inspection area. Violations here carry the most points:

• Cold foods stored at 41 degrees F or below
• Hot foods held at 140 degrees F or above
• Thermometers present and working in all refrigerators and freezers
• No raw meat stored above ready-to-eat foods in refrigerators
• All food items labeled and dated (FIFO: first in, first out)
• No food stored on the floor — minimum 6 inches above floor level
• Frozen food thawed properly (refrigerator, cold water, or cooking — never at room temperature)
• No cross-contamination between raw and cooked foods
• All containers covered and labeled

Personal Hygiene and Food Handling

• Handwashing sink accessible, stocked with soap and paper towels, and warm water flowing
• Staff washing hands properly — after handling raw food, touching face or hair, using restroom, handling garbage
• Disposable gloves available and used when handling ready-to-eat foods
• No bare-hand contact with ready-to-eat foods
• Hair restraints (hats, nets) worn by all food preparation staff
• No eating, drinking, or smoking in food preparation areas
• Staff with visible illness excluded from food handling

Kitchen Cleanliness and Surfaces

This is where exhaust system maintenance directly impacts your grade:

• Hood and filters visibly clean — no heavy grease accumulation on hood exterior or filters
• Walls and ceiling near hood clean — no grease staining or dripping
• Cooking equipment clean — grills, fryers, ranges free of excessive grease buildup
• All food-contact surfaces clean and sanitized
• Non-food-contact surfaces (walls, floors, shelving) clean and in good repair
• No grease pooling on the floor near cooking equipment
• Cutting boards clean, not cracked or deeply scored
• Dish machine operating at correct temperature and chemical concentration
• Three-compartment sink set up properly (wash, rinse, sanitize) if manual washing

A hood that is coated in grease is a visible red flag to any inspector. While the DOH inspector is not conducting an FDNY-level exhaust system inspection, they will note visible grease and uncleanliness as a sanitary violation. Keeping your hood cleaning on schedule helps with both fire code and health code compliance.

Pest Control

Pest violations are among the most damaging to your score:

• No evidence of mice (droppings, gnaw marks, nesting)
• No evidence of roaches (live or dead insects, egg cases, droppings)
• No evidence of flies in food preparation areas
• All entry points sealed — gaps around pipes, doors, and windows
• Garbage stored in tightly closed containers
• Regular pest control service on record
• No open food containers that could attract pests
• Floor drains clean and covered

Plumbing and Facilities

• Hot and cold running water at all sinks
• No cross-connections between clean and waste water
• Floor drains functioning and clean
• Grease trap maintained and not overflowing (see our grease trap cleaning guide)
• Restrooms clean, supplied, and self-closing doors functioning
• Adequate ventilation — no excessive heat, smoke, or steam in the kitchen
• Adequate lighting in all food preparation and storage areas

Garbage and Waste

• Garbage containers in the kitchen are lined, covered, and not overflowing
• Exterior garbage area clean and containers covered
• Garbage removal frequency is adequate for your volume
• Recycling separated per NYC requirements
• No grease or food waste accumulating outside garbage containers

Documentation and Signage

• Food protection certificate holder on premises during operation
• Letter grade posted in the front window
• Choking hazard poster displayed
• Handwashing signs posted at handwash sinks
• Allergen awareness poster posted
• Worker’s rights signage posted per NYC law

How the Hood and Exhaust System Affects Your DOH Score

While the FDNY handles the technical fire code inspection of your exhaust system, the DOH evaluates visible cleanliness. Here is what inspectors look for:

What They See

• Grease on the hood exterior: The visible canopy and surrounding surfaces
• Filter condition: Heavily grease-laden filters are visible without opening the hood
• Grease dripping: Evidence of grease running down walls or onto cooking equipment from the hood
• Ceiling condition: Grease stains on ceiling tiles around the hood
• Floor condition: Grease accumulation on the floor beneath the hood area

Point Values

Sanitary violations related to kitchen cleanliness typically carry moderate point values (5-7 points each), but multiple cleanliness violations can add up quickly. Two or three cleanliness-related violations can push you from an A to a B.

The Overlap Between DOH and FDNY

Maintaining your exhaust system for FDNY compliance automatically helps your DOH score. A professionally cleaned hood, with clean filters and no visible grease, removes an entire category of potential violations from the equation.

Common Violations and How to Avoid Them

Based on NYC DOH data, the most common violations are:

1. Food Temperature Violations (Most Common)

Prevention: Check temperatures multiple times per shift. Use calibrated thermometers. Train every cook on proper holding temperatures.

2. Bare Hand Contact with Ready-to-Eat Food

Prevention: Stock gloves at every prep station. Train staff on when gloves are required. This is one of the easiest violations to fix and prevent.

3. Evidence of Mice

Prevention: Seal every gap in your kitchen — around pipes, behind equipment, at the base of walls. Mice can enter through a gap the size of a dime. Maintain regular pest control. Keep storage areas clean and organized.

4. Food Not Protected from Contamination

Prevention: Cover all food in storage. Keep raw and cooked foods separated. Label and date everything.

5. Facility Not Maintained in Sound Condition

Prevention: Fix broken tiles, damaged walls, and peeling paint promptly. A kitchen in disrepair signals to inspectors that sanitation may also be lacking.

Building an Inspection-Ready Kitchen Culture

Passing DOH inspections should not require special preparation. If your kitchen operates at inspection standards every day, the actual inspection is just another day. Here is how to build that culture:

Daily Practices

• Start and end each shift with a cleaning checklist
• Check and record food temperatures at opening, midday, and closing
• Clean hood filters weekly — your staff can do this between professional cleanings
• Sweep and mop the kitchen floor after every service
• Clean all food-contact surfaces between tasks

Weekly Practices

• Deep clean cooking equipment (grills, fryers, ranges)
• Clean behind and under equipment
• Check and clean floor drains
• Inspect pest traps and bait stations
• Verify handwashing supplies are stocked

Monthly Practices

• Inspect the hood and document its condition
• Check the grease trap and schedule cleaning if needed
• Review food storage organization and FIFO compliance
• Conduct a mock inspection using the DOH scoring sheet

Quarterly / As Scheduled

• Professional hood cleaning per NFPA 96 requirements
• Fire suppression system inspection (semi-annual)
• Review and update staff training on food safety

After a Bad Inspection

If you receive a B or C grade:

1. Address every cited violation immediately — do not wait for the re-inspection
2. Document your corrections with photos and receipts
3. Schedule professional services if violations relate to cleaning, pests, or equipment
4. Prepare for the re-inspection — it will come within a few weeks
5. Consider a food safety consultant if you are struggling to identify and fix systemic issues

The good news: your re-inspection score replaces the initial score if it is better. Many restaurants that receive a B on initial inspection earn an A on re-inspection by aggressively addressing violations.

Bottom Line

NYC DOH inspections cover a wide range of kitchen conditions, and keeping your score in A territory requires consistent daily, weekly, and monthly maintenance. Your exhaust system and hood cleanliness are part of the picture — a visibly greasy hood hurts your score and signals a kitchen that cuts corners on maintenance.

Keep your kitchen clean at every level: food safety, surface sanitation, pest prevention, and exhaust system maintenance. It is all connected.

Need your hood cleaned before an inspection? Get a free estimate from Empire Hoods — we offer same-day service for urgent situations.