If you work in a professional kitchen, particularly in a demanding city like Melbourne, you know that every night there is a lot at stake. Not only do you need to make sure that you are putting out great food, you also need to ensure that you are subscribing to the highest standards when it comes to food safety and hygiene.
If things go awry in that regard, you risk a lot. Your customers might become ill, you might damage your reputation, or you might even become the target of legal action. These are just some things that can happen to you if you or your staff is careless with food safety. If you manage a restaurant, you are responsible for making sure that your staff is doing everything they can to make the safety of the food they prepare a priority.
First, education for your staff is very important. They need to know about food safety practices. Even if your kitchen staff is quite experienced, it's still your responsibility to make sure that they have all the knowledge they need in order to be able to prepare food safely and with the appropriate sanitation practices.
Some food safety procedures are fairly straightforward, others are not. Make sure that everyone on the floor understands the measures that are taken and why they are necessary. Also make sure that they understand that no matter what kind of rush they are in, this is not something that they can be lax about!
You also need to consider food storage. Of course your freezer and refrigerator temperature need to be set properly and kept that way. There also are other things you'll need to do, like making sure food does not get contaminated before it's cooked, or that there isn't cross-contamination while the food is being cooked. For example, remember that meat must always be stored on the lowest shelf possible, so that it doesn't drip on food below it in the event it should melt because of a temperature drop. In addition, any raw food and cooked food must be kept separately so that they don't contaminate each other.
Your staff must also be aware of the fact that they have a responsibility when it comes to keeping their areas clean. For instance, dishes, utensils and surfaces need to be cleaned and dried, with a strong preference for things to air dry. Similarly, all equipment that comes in contact with food needs to be sanitized in some fashion between tasks and before every use. All equipment that comes in contact with food, whether it is for transporting the food or serving or preparing it, must also be cleaned.
The consequences of taking food sanitation too lightly can be severe. You have a responsibility to ensure the safety of your guests, and a failure to do so can result in some extremely negative consequences.
If you're unsure about how to go about food safety measures, try consulting with an expert who can make sure you do everything right. It's worth it if you never have to face the results of a less than sanitary kitchen or unsafe food practices. If this makes you nervous, you can put your mind at rest by using the services of a food safety expert who can give you very valuable advice to make sure that everything goes right, and that your restaurant has smooth, efficient practices and meets or exceeds food safety standards. Once you can put your mind at rest in this area, you can focus on the job at hand, which is to give your customers a very pleasurable dining experience so that they come back for more.
If things go awry in that regard, you risk a lot. Your customers might become ill, you might damage your reputation, or you might even become the target of legal action. These are just some things that can happen to you if you or your staff is careless with food safety. If you manage a restaurant, you are responsible for making sure that your staff is doing everything they can to make the safety of the food they prepare a priority.
First, education for your staff is very important. They need to know about food safety practices. Even if your kitchen staff is quite experienced, it's still your responsibility to make sure that they have all the knowledge they need in order to be able to prepare food safely and with the appropriate sanitation practices.
Some food safety procedures are fairly straightforward, others are not. Make sure that everyone on the floor understands the measures that are taken and why they are necessary. Also make sure that they understand that no matter what kind of rush they are in, this is not something that they can be lax about!
You also need to consider food storage. Of course your freezer and refrigerator temperature need to be set properly and kept that way. There also are other things you'll need to do, like making sure food does not get contaminated before it's cooked, or that there isn't cross-contamination while the food is being cooked. For example, remember that meat must always be stored on the lowest shelf possible, so that it doesn't drip on food below it in the event it should melt because of a temperature drop. In addition, any raw food and cooked food must be kept separately so that they don't contaminate each other.
Your staff must also be aware of the fact that they have a responsibility when it comes to keeping their areas clean. For instance, dishes, utensils and surfaces need to be cleaned and dried, with a strong preference for things to air dry. Similarly, all equipment that comes in contact with food needs to be sanitized in some fashion between tasks and before every use. All equipment that comes in contact with food, whether it is for transporting the food or serving or preparing it, must also be cleaned.
The consequences of taking food sanitation too lightly can be severe. You have a responsibility to ensure the safety of your guests, and a failure to do so can result in some extremely negative consequences.
If you're unsure about how to go about food safety measures, try consulting with an expert who can make sure you do everything right. It's worth it if you never have to face the results of a less than sanitary kitchen or unsafe food practices. If this makes you nervous, you can put your mind at rest by using the services of a food safety expert who can give you very valuable advice to make sure that everything goes right, and that your restaurant has smooth, efficient practices and meets or exceeds food safety standards. Once you can put your mind at rest in this area, you can focus on the job at hand, which is to give your customers a very pleasurable dining experience so that they come back for more.
About the Author:
Author: Malcolm J. Richmond offers professional advice regarding food safety on his website where you can also discover strategies to make certain that your staff are knowledgeable when it comes to food hygiene.
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