Establish a Food Safety Culture in Restaurant

Posted by Charles Wilson on November 19th, 2022

Start at the top: Confirm that organization leaders are practicing what they preach, and setting a good example for employees to follow. Validate a strong assurance to food safety, and emphasize that anything less than 100 percent effort simply won’t be tolerated.

Explain the reasons behind the rules: Don’t just tell employees what to do. Tell them why to do it. Explain guidelines around food safety, such as why they shouldn’t use the similar platter for raw meat and cooked meat. Explain the hazard of using the same board to make seafood for one dish and poultry for another—which could be deadly if that poultry is served to a guest with seafood allergies. When explain why it’s so significant to follow each precise protocol, employees will understand the reasoning behind the rules and will be more likely to fulfil.

Train staff: Food safety Culture Training should be a continuing exertion for all employees, whether they’ve been with organization. Emphasize why food safety is—and will last to be—a priority for organization. Provide constant updates and refresher courses for all staff to keep the food safety protocols top-of-mind.

Provide the appropriate equipment: Stock commercial kitchen with the essential tools to safely make and serve food. Confirm there are calibrated food thermometers at every work station so employees can easily check food temperatures.  Transport plenty of cutting boards so employees can use some for raw proteins, others for ready-to-eat foods, discrete ones for allergy-friendly food prep, etc.

Keep temperature logs: Maintain that employees take the temperature of foods at precise times—e.g., upon arrival, during the cooking procedure, etc. Make appropriate record-keeping part of employees’ regular routine.

Examine food to make sure it’s safe upon arrival: If food isn’t safe when it reaches at facility, there’s nothing team can do to make it safe later. Empower employees to waste potentially unsafe foods.

Conduct inspections to confirm that all employees are complying with appropriate protocols: Conduct self-inspections frequently to confirm kitchens are sanitary, food safety guidelines are being followed, and mistakes aren’t being made. It’s also valued to hire third-party inspectors to examine facility and witness employees in action. An objective unknown often sees things that internal teams may overlook. Their response can be hugely useful in helping avoid foodborne illnesses, infractions from the health department, and other potential problems.

Avoid careless errors: Remind all employees that even seemingly “minor” errors could sicken guests. If they shouldn’t use the same towel to wipe the dirty floor and then wash the tables. Maintain that they wash their hands carefully and often. Don’t permit them to wear their kitchen aprons into the restroom.

Follow food allergy protocols: When making and serving food for a food-allergic guest, make sure employees double check ingredients, use clean gloves/knives/equipment, prep the food in an allergy-friendly area, and dodge careless mistakes, such as garnishing a plate with pesto when serving a nut or dairy-allergic guest.

Construction, enforcing, promoting and embracing a food safety culture doesn’t essential to be expensive, time-consuming or complicated. By making a corporate culture focused on food safety, keep employees, guests and business much safer and healthier.