Soe Min Min of Yuzana Garden Hotel prepares Chinese food in one of the cleanest kitchens in Yangon. Pic: Aye Zaw Myo

WHEN it comes to choosing a place to eat in Myanmar, it pays to make a mental checklist.

Good service? Check. Tasty meals? Check. Décor? It will do — check. But according to a recent study carried out by the Yangon City Development Committee (YCDC), the number one item on that list should be hygiene.

Only 93 out of 10,000 restaurants inspected recently met the committee’s hygiene standards. That's less than one percent.

The three eateries to top this list were Shwe Pu Zun Bakery in Dawbon township, Olympic Hotel and Yuzana Garden in Dagon township.
So how can you tell if the restaurant you are eating in is as clean as it should be?

First check out the kitchen.

“There are five main points to consider when following a strict level of hygiene,” said Daw San San Yee, assistant general manager of the Shwe Pu Zun Company. “Personal, food storage, utensil, kitchen and restaurant hygiene.

“All of our kitchen staff must undergo a health test with our two doctors every four months. We also do a round check of their fingernails every day.”
The bakery came first in the YCDC inspection.

“This award assures our customers that our restaurant is clean and safe,” said Daw San San Yee.

A large glass window played a major role in pushing them into the number one spot. Customers are able to look into the kitchen and watch their meal being prepared before their very eyes.

“Customers can see for themselves how clean the environment is,” said Daw San San Yee.

U Soe Win of Olympic Hotel, which came in second place, said they follow a strict cleaning regime.

The kitchen is cleaned twice during the day and twice at night.

“Although we are strict about cleanliness, we weren’t expecting to come second,” he said. “Since I arrived in February we have been making changes and improving our hygiene level. The staff now have clean uniforms every day and I give out prizes once a month to staff who have been particularly strict about cleanliness. We also have added mosquito nets to the doors and windows.”

Olympic Hotel employs 28 kitchen staff alone.

“We can finally present our customers with the proof that we are among the cleanest restaurants in Yangon,” U Soe Win added.

Yuzana Garden Hotel takes a different approach to cleaning tasks.
“Rather than follow a fixed schedule, every staff member is responsible for their own tasks,” said food and beverage manager U Aung Zaw Zaw Win of the Mingalar Taung Nyunt branch.

The hotel’s kitchen has 14 staff members.

“Some procedures we have put in place include washing of hands after every break and wearing disposable gloves, but as we take on staff we assign certain tasks to each person.”

He added that excellent plumbing plays a big part in kitchen hygiene.
“Many rest-aurants in Yangon have problems with leaks in their pipes. We have a very safe pipeline system. You don’t want to be walking around on a muddy floor.”

Yuzana Garden Hotel’s restaurant has ranked first in two of YCDC’s previous inspections.

The hotel also provides medical checkups for all of their staff.
If a kitchen inspection sounds like too much work, just look for the hygiene seal of approval — a YCDC Pass Certificate.

All you need to do is ask, 'Is your restaurant clean? Then let’s see your certificate.'