Now that restaurants will have to post letter grades from the DOH, many are scrambling to get their spaces up to snuff, raising the demand for food and sanitation consultants citywide. The niche profession has seen a nice boost in the past few years from restaurant owners looking to get a professional opinion before the health inspectors come around. Consultant Judi Hill told the New York Times, "A lot of people get into this business without realizing the magnitude of it."

Restaurants can easily be fined for seemingly small infractions that usually go unnoticed. Consultant Mark Nealon, president of S.A.F.E. Restaurant Consulting Company, pointed out a small crack to Doma co-owner Evie Polesny, saying it could mean a two-point violation and a $200 fine. Though consultants are generally helpful, many officials are worried about corruption in the consulting business. FTI Consulting managing director Daniel J. Castleman said, "When you need an intermediary to deal with a government agency, it means that there's something wrong with the way that entity operates. The only reason you want [a consultant] is because he or she can saunter up to an ex-colleague and say, 'Hey, can you do me a favor?'" The health department has now started registering consultants to keep track of any allegations of bribery or misconduct.

Though consultants can charge up to a few thousand dollars to help a restaurant reopen after closing for violations, many restaurant owners say the fees are worth it. Restaurateur Eric Bromberg says, "Protecting the public is certainly correct, but some things contradict each other, and some things aren't necessarily easy to handle or sensible." For instance, Mr. Nealon recalled one restaurant that was cited for letting cooks talk to each other because the inspector feared saliva could end up in the food. That inspector should definitely not be on the team looking at street vendors.