The NYC Department of Health's restaurant grading system, based on food inspections, is a regular area of agita for restaurant owners (and a nice little source of money for the city). Now, it's being reported that one of the city's top chefs has his own way to dodge those pesky DOH inspectors.

According to the Post, Mario Batali has installed "a hidden alarm that alerts kitchen workers that an inspector has arrived so they can quickly trash any meals they’re cooking and scram. A button at the hostess stand triggers a loud buzzer in the kitchen, said a Batali employee, and gives staff a chance to toss out what’s on the stove or in the oven and go on break before the inspector enters. Without meals or chefs, a kitchen is less likely to get nailed, since infractions often involve dishes being held at improper temperatures and food workers not following rules. Fines can top $5,000 per visit and result in a “B” or “C” grade."

The employee said, "You’re supposed to keep pressing that button." Batali didn't comment, but his partner, Joe Bastianich, (the pair have nine restaurants, including Babbo, Del Posto and Lupa) said the story about an alarm was stupid, "You don’t have to throw away food. The rules are not that idiotic... It’s not something I would condone."

However, the employee claims that it's policy to fire "any manager whose restaurant failed to get an 'A,' which the city awards to places with 13 or fewer violation points." (That's very Glengarry Glen Ross!) And the NY State Restaurant industry spokesman, Andrew Moesel, says he's heard about restaurants ditching food prep, "The Department of Health has put people in a position where they essentially have to shut their restaurants down in order to comply with health inspections. Why take the chance that one steak is not holding at the right temperature and risk a fine? It’s easier just to throw it away — and there’s no rule against that."

The City Council has faulted the DOH's restaurant grading system for being financially burdensome to restaurant and bar owners and said it will hinder restaurant/bar growth. Restaurateur Danny Meyer has pointed out that some sushi establishments had B grades only because "sushi chefs refuse 2 wear rubber gloves."