BEDMINSTER -- As President Donald Trump took office earlier this year, state health inspectors arrived at Mar-a-Lago, the new president's "winter White House," for their annual inspection of the the private club's kitchens.
What they found was not pretty.
Just weeks before Trump began entertaining world leaders and other dignitaries during his frequent visits to the Florida club, Mar-a-Lago's restaurant was cited for 13 health code violations in a single inspection, the Miami Herald reported.
The infractions included potentially serious violations, including serving dangerously raw fish and keeping raw meat in malfunctioning coolers. The minor violations included not having hot enough water for staff to wash their hands and employees failing to wear hair nets when preparing food.
So, how do the kitchens at Trump's "summer White House" in New Jersey compare?
The kitchens at Trump National Golf Club in Bedminster -- where the president is wrapping up his working vacation -- have been cited for at least 17 health code violations during routine inspections between 2011 and 2016, according to records obtained through the state's Open Public Records Act.
One of the dining areas in the clubhouse at Trump National Golf Club in Bedminster. (John Munson | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com)
The reports included mostly minor infractions in the main kitchen serving the clubhouse restaurant and a smaller kitchen serving the pool-side cafe. Both restaurants are open to members as part of their $300,000 membership fee.
The violations included "significant fly activity" in the pool kitchen and main kitchen, dirty wiping cloths, grease-covered fryer units, uncovered and spilled food storage bins, melons stored at the wrong temperature and dirty kitchen utensils with "old and encrusted food buildup."
In each case, the violations were minor enough for the golf club to get a "satisfactory" rating and its restaurants were allowed to remain open.
When compared to the roughly 1,000 restaurants inspected by Somerset County's health department each year, Trump National's violations were on the "low end," said David DeRosa, the deputy director of Somerset County's health department.
An inspection of the club's main pool, wading pool and two hot tubs at the start of the summer turned up no major problems, he said.
"I haven't had any major issues," said DeRosa, who has inspected the club for the county for years. "For the most part, it's been solid."
The pool complex, surrounded by overnight cottages and suites, sits near the 15th fairway of the Old Course at Trump National Golf Club in Bedminster. (John Munson | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com)
It helps that the golf club has only been open since 2004 and most of the equipment in its kitchens and pools is relatively new, DeRosa said.
The general manager for Trump National did not respond to requests to comment.
The 17 violations in the county inspection reports included only the restaurants run by Trump National, not outside caterers and food vendors brought in for special events, including last month's U.S. Open golf tournament. The inspections also did not include the kitchens in the private villas on the property built for Trump and his daughter, Ivanka, and her husband, Jared Kushner.
Like all retail food establishments, Trump National is reviewed roughly every year when an inspector arrives unannounced. Somerset County's health department has been inspecting all of Bedminster's restaurants since 2008, when it took over inspection duties at the town's request, county officials said.
Somerset County provided records for each Trump National restaurant inspection between 2011 and 2016 under the state Open Public Record Act, though there was no record of a 2013 inspection.
County officials said the 2013 inspection report was not available and the health department was only required to keep copies of records for three years.
Trump National received the most violations in recent years in 2015, when it was cited for six violations. By the following September, as Trump was wrapping up his presidential campaign, the club received only two minor violations--one for dirty cutting utensils and a food-encrusted utensil holder and another for outside Dumpsters without lids that could attract rodents or other animals.
The next inspection at Trump National, the first since Trump's election, will likely be within the next month or so, DeRosa said.
The health inspector said he will show up unannounced, as unusual. But, he does not expect to see many problems in the kitchens after Trump's election put the golf club in the spotlight.
"They've got to be on top of their game," DeRosa said. "No doubt about it."
Kelly Heyboer may be reached at kheyboer@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @KellyHeyboer. Find her at KellyHeyboerReporter on Facebook.