You are hosting a party at home, and you are looking for a caterer who can provide the food for you and your guests. Do you go to just any caterer? Or do you do due diligence in hiring someone who will feed your guests? Catering businesses enlist the services of commercial catering engineers to help them set up their workplace for efficient, safe and clean catering. But how can you be sure that the food that the catering company will serve your guests is clean and prepared under strict food safety standards?
Catering safety and cleanliness standards
Catering businesses have to adhere to industry standards on how they should prepare food, their workplace safety, etc. Keeping the kitchen clean is one of the most, if not the most, important aspects of running a catering business. The kitchen is where they prepare, cook and pack the food they will serve at the venue. There must not be any foreign items in their food that will endanger the health and well-being of their customers. A properly ventilated work area is also a must. Kitchen workers spend hours in the kitchen – hot and humid. Improper ventilation may also affect the integrity of the food ingredients.
Hiring a caterer
If you are going to hire a catering company, you must have selection criteria. One, is it a reputable company based on client feedback? Two, is it popular among other caterers and in the catering industry? Three, do their prices fit your budget? And four, are there any previous complaints about improper food handling and serving? These are just some of the questions you must seek answers to. Landing the best caterer takes time and effort in reviewing several companies and choosing the one that best suits your needs.
Tips on how to ensure food safety
There are some things you can do to ensure that the food that your caterer will serve is safe and clean.
- Sharpen your sense of smell. Look out for unusual odours from the food that they will serve. If you suspect that a particular food item is spoilt, trust your gut and call the attention of your caterer to it. Do not serve the suspicious food to guests.
- Observe the staff’s cleanliness. Their uniform must be immaculate: no sauce splatters, crumbs, etc. They must also use gloves when handling food with their hands. Going glove-less is a big no-no. Their hair must also be well-kept, so no stray hairs get into the food.
- Look at how they pack and serve the meals. Sanitation is the primary concern of caterers and customers. Look at the utensils: are they clean, are they greasy? Do the serving plates and bowls have cracks? You should not allow any unhygienic item or practice from your caterer in your event.
• Is the food warm? Caterers must always preserve the freshness of the food. If the dish should be warm, then it should be warm, and if the dish should be cold, then it must be. Do not settle for anything less than what you and your guests deserve.