Is Food Safety in Your Culture?
Emphasizing The Importance Of Food Safety With Your Team
Did you know foodborne illness and allergic episodes are a leading health concern in the United States? Each year, nearly 48 million people become ill, 128 million are hospitalized and a staggering three thousand die from foodborne illnesses.
So, how do you ensure your restaurant stays out of the crosshairs of contamination? Establishing a strong food safety culture is the first step in helping to prevent a foodborne illness outbreak.
All of your employees, front and back of the house, must understand that the care they put into their work has a direct impact on your customers. Regardless of their role or level of leadership, the concern and responsibility to maintain a strong food safety culture rests on everyone.
While proper training is the foundation of food safety, establishing a culture that reinforces food safety practices daily will keep your food safe and your guests healthy.
Support your training program with additional elements such as:
Goals – go beyond the nightly dessert contest and include goals centered around food safety.
Visual Cues – emphasize the importance of food safety by clearly posting training certificates, posters and other visual aids around the restaurant, including some where your customers can see your dedication to food safety.
Buy-In – ask your team for feedback on ways you can improve procedures in your restaurant to enhance your food safety practices.
Equip to Win – invest in your equipment and supplies to ensure that keeping your restaurant clean and your food safe is easy and effective for your team.
It’s easy to get caught up in the hustle of bustle of moving customers through to get off that two-hour waitlist, but don’t lose sight of the responsibility that comes with operating a restaurant. First and foremost, you and your team are in the business of nourishing your guests with safe, wholesome food in a clean environment.
To learn more about food safety culture, training and certifications, check out these resources from ServSafe.
