Nashville's restaurant scene is growing fast, and health officials are handling an ever-increasing load.
"It's stressful," said Steve Crosier, Manager of Food and Public Facilities Protection.
Inspectors are tackling five to seven calls every day - and it's not slowing down.
Metro Public Health Department's Food Protection Service Division said there's no signs of slowing.
"It's good job security for one thing," said Pamela Wilson, Deputy Manager Quality Assurance Coordinator, for Metro Public Health Department's Food Protection Service Division
Wilson has spent nearly two-decades in food protection services.
"I go through all of the paperwork, this is last week's stack," she said.
The stack of papers on her desk never gets any smaller. In fact in past five-years, the department said they've seen a 20 percent increase in the number of facilities opening their doors.
"No, no," she said. "I mean everywhere you look."
Wilson said making sure businesses are following department guidelines, like employee hand-washing and hygiene codes, is a daunting task.
"At this point it shows that we're at 6,828 [establishments] that we inspect in Davidson County," said Wilson.
Think about this: it's not just restaurants. Inspectors look at swimming pools and tattoo parlors, bars and day-care facilities.
"All the environmentalists can have between 330 to 364 establishments that they inspect at least twice a year," she said. "If a hotel is going up most likely it's going to have a permit. If the hotel has a pool therefore there's another permit. That hotel may have a restaurant and that's another permit. That hotel may have a bar that's another permit."
There are 20 inspectors currently. They just hired two more.
