The Hawai‘i Department of Health's Food Safety Branch (FSB) issued a red placard, effectively shutting down the King Kong Lunch Wagon. The mobile eatery, known for dishing out bites across 1818 Kanakanui St., was closed immediately upon inspection on September 17, for lacking a crucial ingredient in the food service recipe—a valid permit. According to the official release, the mobile food unit, operated by Yung En Chen, was hit with the red placard and can only resume operations once a fresh permit application gets approved post a pre-operation inspection, as outlined in the Office of the Governor announcement.
Caught on a technicality but with potentially severe implications for food safety, the inspector noted during a complaint inspection that King Kong Lunch Wagon no longer has access to the support kitchen. Not having a place to scrub its pans and pots clean means a major setback, given that a support kitchen is defined by Hawaiʻi Administrative Rules (HAR) 11-50 as "a food establishment that provides facilities or services in support of another food establishment for cleaning, storage, food preparation, cooking, cooling, reheating, servicing water supply or wastewater disposal," a statement obtained by the Office of the Governor.
King Kong Lunch Wagon now faces a to-do list set by the DOH. It needs to lock down a valid support kitchen, reapply for a food establishment permit, and then pass the DOH's pre-inspection with flying colors before any more lunches can be served from its now stationary wagon. The emphasis is on ensuring that food preparation, among other concerns, is conducted in an environment approved and regulated by DOH to avoid public health risks.
Mobile food units like King Kong Lunch Wagon are required to partner with support kitchens because of the inherent limitations of their setup. Ensuring that food is prepared, stored, and cooled in refrigeration and cooking equipment that meets stringent health codes is not just a nicety. "Preparing food without access to a DOH-permitted support kitchen renders that food as an unapproved source since the food would not be prepared in an approved environment as required by law," a statement obtained by the DOH's official statement.
