Safe cooking is easy, so why are some businesses still failing to do it?
Preparing, cooking, serving and storing food safely is essential for all customers and food businesses!
This is how customers in the UK can find out how a restaurant/hotel manages the safe production of food. It is the Scores on the Doors rating system that the Environmental Health departments across the UK rate food outlets on a regular basis. The resuts are published in the system Scores on the Doors . The system offers a range of help for food businesses including training and an audit to see what the business is doing now.
Here is a true story in Ocotber 2021! It needs a little scene setting before the detail.
When I started my food business in 2009, my priority was food safety. In the UK, the Environmental Health teams in every District Council regularly check restaurants, hotels, cafes and anywhere food and drink is sold. These visits are unannounced, and this should mean that the business concerned are running an organised and rigorous process to ensure food is properly handled and managed as per the legal requirements.
If you are a home based business, like many small business and food producers, they must arrange the visits between the Environmental Health Officer (EHO) and the producer. The producer should operate in the same way as the restaurants and food businesses who have their own registered premises. All food businesses must register with the council as a food business.
In addition, the staff, chefs, cooks, and the kitchen team should all be at a basic level of Food Hygiene Safety training which is readily available online. Many training businesses and councils offer this type of training. As does the Scores on the Doors website.
With all of this in mind, it is surprising how many businesses do not achieve an excellent result with the annual inspection. The system rates food businesses on a scale of 1 to 5 where 5 is Very Good, 1 means Major Improvement Necessary. Depending on the reasons for a score of 1, the business could be closed until it rectifies the issues identified by the EHO.
When starting my business, I registered with the council and had a visit by the EHO. They rated my kitchen and processes a three as a starting business. I spoke to the EHO, and that conversation gave me a good feeling for what they are looking for. I prepared a Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP) model to see the critical points, food delivery, temperatures, storage, labelling, date management, and so on. With the process in place, I set up the paperwork (forms) I needed to show I was tracking the critical points daily. Later, I had to add the process for using a vacuum packer and catering for outside events. All of this ensured I achieved a five on the scoring system for every inspection.
Recently, I was lucky enough to eat at a nearby high-end hotel that had refurbished the bedrooms and decor inside the hotel. Outside, they had invested in a lovely, relaxed garden area with a bar and comfortable tables and chairs. The total effect was amazing. The meal was good, and each plate was presented well. Prices of the main courses were from £25 to over £35 pounds, plus any vegetables at a price, etc. We started the meal with a plate of oysters. They were nice and I know that there is always a risk with any shell seafood especially, oysters!
Two days later, I was ill during the night and really suffered for 24 hours before I felt normal. Without a test of the food I had eaten, it was difficult to say that the oysters were the cause. However, this past week the hotel was rated a one on the Food Hygiene Score rating, it was a zero the year before!!
The inspection on 11th September 2021 cited two critical areas, hygienic food handling and management of food safety.
The Environmental Health team reported they needed major improvements regarding the preparation, cooking, re-heating, cooling and storage of food at the luxury hotel. They need major improvement ensuring that food sold or served is safe to eat and training, i.e., the staff knows about how the manage food safely.
The condition of facilities, cleanliness, pest control and washing facilities, said to be satisfactory, saved the hotel from another zero rating!
Date management of fresh food is easy. It is a simple process, as is managing food in a fridge, both of which are core elements of the Food Hygiene training courses. This is not tricky stuff. Why is a luxury hotel charging high prices for food, let alone the drink and bedrooms (£250 per night), being sloppy with its kitchen practises?
It is a management issue. There are no good reasons for staff, from service to the kitchen brigade and the front of house team should not be aware of food hygiene and good hygiene practises. With the COVID pandemic running, we are all aware of the basic common-sense practises to keep people safe. There is no reason for this quality of hotel not being able to manage and produce food from a kitchen that is safe!
Having said all of this, the hotel is still operating and selling food! The environmental health team has the power to close a kitchen but has not taken that decision in this case. I am concerned that the example of this business is not a good one especially for other similar types of businesses. Food businesses need the confidence of the public in the food, their practises and management of food. I hope that people are showing their concern and dismay by not booking or dropping in to eat at this establishment!
The situation is surprising in that it happens in 2021! The issue of food safety has been running for over 30 years or more. On a lighter note here is the recipe for this week. This is a delicous salad with light fresh flavours thanks to the clementines and lemon dressing. Also some sharper flavour with the red onion and a subtle taste from the fresh fennel. You can add other flavours and textures if you like.
Important stuff. That salad is gorgeous! Will be making it, for sure, Paul.