Blu Bar & Grill was the 2008 winner of the Mayers Award for Food Hygiene and Safety.

Minister of Health Nelson Bascome presented the award to the restaurant's general manager Constanzo Di Meglio and executive chef Danny Lim at a press conference on Friday.

The Environmental Health Section for the Ministry of Health inspects and licenses all 800 establishments in Bermuda that sell food to the public.

The Mayers Award, named after former Chief Environmental Health Officer Patrick Mayers, was established to recognise excellence in environmental hygiene in restaurants.

The criteria for the Mayers award is illustrated through the acronym — S A F E - T.

S: Occupational Safety, both employee and customer safety.

A: Assurance, record keeping and documented systems and processes.

F: Food Safety, hygiene and cleanliness.

E: Equipment, structure and equipment are maintained and adequate.

T: Timeliness, premises are fully compliant and re-licensed on or before the deadline, March 31.

"The Department of Health's Environmental Health Officers ensure that food premises are maintaining acceptable standards in all the following areas: Equipment and facilities; food preparation and temperature control; hygiene practices by food workers; pest control; record keeping and safe systems of work; occupational safety and customer safety.

"They recognise that no premise is perfect, but all must strive to be," said Minister Bascome.

The annual award recognises those establishments who do their very best to maintain food hygiene and safety.

This year, the four nominees for best food establishment were: Bolero Brassiere, Blu Bar & Grill, Carriage House Restaurants and Henry VII Restaurant.