NDPH to Partner with Restaurants for a Taste of Excellence

August 24, 2023
• The Needham Department of Public Health is seeking to redefine their interactions with the food-based businesses of Needham this fall, hoping to offer more carrots and fewer sticks. Find out what they are ordering up!

It will probably come as no surprise that Needham is a town that runs on its stomach. A diverse array of restaurants and food vendors provide residents and visitors alike with fun, tasty and satisfying dining experiences. For most, no thought goes into the decision of where to go beyond what particular craving is begging to be satisfied, and that is the way the Needham Department of Public Health wants it to be. As much as any chef or business owner, they are working to keep the food you eat safe as well as appetizing.

To that end, they have announced that they are updating the Needham Comprehensive Food Code Enforcement policy this year. The revisions they are implementing will help the environmental health unit enforce the laws and regulations that protect health and ensure safety. We first shared this in July, when we met with Madison Poisson for an overview of what the process is, and why it is so important.

When it comes to food code enforcement, it is tough to avoid negative stigma when corrective measures need to be taken. However, up to now, it has been just as tough for the Public Health Department to create buzz around those businesses who are doing things right. They are looking to change that this fall as they enact their new program. Set to begin in November, the pilot program will be rolled out to stake-holders in October through a series of workshops. Municipal Producer Yuxiao Yuan got a preview of what the new system will look like.

This story ran as part of the Needham Channel News, a weekly newscast airing on The Needham Channel every Thursday at 7:30pm. The Needham Channel News can be found on the Community Channel: Comcast 9, Astound 15 and Verizon 29. Most Thursdays it also can be viewed on our HD Channel on Verizon 2129, Astound 613 and streaming on this site.