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The following is issued on behalf of the Provisional Urban Council:

Prizes were presented to winners of the 1998/99 Provisional Urban Council Restaurant Hygiene Competition in the Wong Tai Sin district at a ceremony today (Friday).

The winners are:

Large Chinese Restaurant Group:

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Champion - Heichinrou Annex (Plaza Hollywood)

First Runner-up - Chiu Chow Garden Restaurant (Wong Tai Sin)

Second Runner-up - Tinfook Chinese Restaurant

Chinese Restaurant Group:

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Champion - Tak Lung Restaurant

First Runner-up - Tak Wo Barbecued Food

Second Runner-up - Tsat Hay Dessert House

Non-Chinese Restaurant Group:

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Champion - Pizza Hut (Plaza Hollywood)

First Runner-up - Pokka Cafe

Second Runner-up - Luen Hing Restaurant

Light Refreshment Restaurant Group:

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Champion - Shing Kee Snack Shop

First Runner-up - Hong Yuen Noodles

Second Runner-up - Lung Hing Restaurant

Fast Food Restaurant Group:

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Champion - Maxim's Fast Food (Lok Fu)

First Runner-up - McDonald's Restaurant

(Lok Fu Shopping Centre)

Second Runner-up - McDonald's Restaurant (Plaza Hollywood)

The Provisional Urban Council Restaurant Hygiene Competition is an annual health education programme aimed at promoting hygiene practices among restaurant operators and food handlers in the urban area.

The competition is divided into seven groups, namely Large Chinese Restaurant Group, Chinese Restaurant Group, Non-Chinese Restaurant Group, Light Refreshment Restaurant Group, Fast Food Restaurant Group, Large Hotel Restaurant Group and Hotel Restaurant Group. The first five groups are competed at district level while the last two are competed at regional level, i.e. Hong Kong Island and Kowloon.

A PUC spokesman said today, "Over 5,000 licensed restaurants were screened by Urban Services Department's (USD) health inspectors during regular inspections between January and July 1998. Ten best restaurants in each competing group in each district/region were selected to enter the final competition.

The judging panel, comprising PUC Members, Provisional District Board Members and USD's senior health inspectorate-grade officers, paid inspection visits to all finalist restaurants and gave marks according to five major criteria - environmental hygiene, food hygiene, staff's personal hygiene, cleanliness of utensils and equipment, as well as state of toilet facilities.

Wong Tai Sin is the first district to announce the results, while results of other districts and regions will be made by individual USD's Environmental Health Offices within the next few weeks.

End/Friday, November 13, 1998

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