Proper Use of Cutting Boards
March 18, 2019Food safety is vital to every restaurant – consistent inspections make sure of it!
Unfortunately, the day-to-day operations can sometimes mean that safety falls through the cracks.
One thing that can get overlooked in a busy kitchen is the safe use of cutting boards. This kitchen equipment can get passed around, rinsed but not washed, and much more that can cause issues for your diners.
Fortunately, by creating a simple routine and implementing it as a habit inside your kitchen, you can avoid many cross-contamination problems. Here’s what you can do!
Know Your Cutting Board Material
There are a variety of materials that you can choose for your cutting boards. Depending on your needs, including budget, durability, and cleaning processes, you can select kitchen equipment made from the following materials:
-
Wood
-
Composite
-
Bamboo
-
Rubber
-
Plastic
-
Flexible
Each of these materials has slightly different cleaning requirements. Many can be washed with soap and water immediately after use. Some can withstand a dishwasher, while others (like rubber) should not. Be sure to pay attention to maintenance as well – for instance, wood and bamboo require oil to stay in good shape.
Choose cutting boards that are non-porous, won’t absorb juices, but at the same time won’t dull your chef’s knives.
Use a Color-Coded System
Chefs and line cooks should not have to wonder if the kitchen equipment they are using has been used for meat or vegetables. Instead, use color-coded boards to make it simple. Determine a color for meat, fish, poultry, dairy, and vegetables.
These boards should still be cleaned regularly to avoid bacteria growth and transfer from one food to another. However, the danger of cross-contamination will be much lower if the color-coded separation is kept in place.
By making this a normal part of training, you can help your kitchen staff develop a habit of only using the proper color with the proper food.
4 Money-Saving Strategies You Can Use in Your Restaurant NOW
Running a restaurant is one of the most interesting and lucrative businesses one can engage in with the right money-saving strategies. However, it also poses to be one of the most difficult. Many factors have to be put into consideration in order to make sure that...
Businesses that Should be Selling Frozen Beverages in 2017
Adding a frozen beverage machine to your slate of money-making channels is great way to drum up additional sales. Since there is low overhead cost associated with selling frozen beverages, whether it is an FCB (Frozen Carbonated Beverage) or FUB (Frozen Uncarbonated...
Start Preparing Your Restaurant for Summer!
As a restaurant owner, you may have noticed that weather has affects the number of customers that walk through your door. It is widely understood, for example, that rain drives customers indoors as they seek shelter from the storm. Snowstorms, of course, discourage...
Create a Memorable Dining Experience with the Right Flatware
According to Will Rogers, “you will never get a second chance to make a first impression.” In a restaurant, flatware is a small but essential part of making a great impression. Flatware is a particularly important design element because customers won’t just look it;...
Cleaning Your Commercial Deep Fryer Made Easy
A commercial deep fryer requires daily cleaning to keep the appliance in perfect working condition. However, cleaning the restaurant’s deep fryer is one of the most dreaded tasks for many restaurant workers. Who could blame them? The process of cleaning a deep fryer...
The Top Chefs Use Cast Iron. Do You?
From pots to pans, restaurant cookware has been made out of all kinds of materials. What kind do you use? It’s time for you to use cast iron. Cast iron cookware has many benefits. Let’s take a look at why you need to be using cast iron in your professional kitchen....
How to Crash the Dine and Dash
Any business that sells physical products is subject to the occasional theft. So do restaurants, but it's just called dine and dash. Those who dine and dash take advantage of the fact that they receive their purchase before they pay, rather than after. In many...
Preparing for Your Restaurant’s Grand Opening
Starting a restaurant is an adventure, especially with the Grand Opening. There will have been months of planning, preparation, purchasing and hiring for your grand opening. When you finally have everything ready, your grand opening is a big deal. If everything is...
Guide to Buying the Perfect Knives
Knives are arguably one of the most important tools in any kitchen. Your chefs are the heartbeat of your restaurant and they deserve quality knives that ease the task of cooking great food. When buying the perfect knives for your chefs, keep in mind that the most...
Equipment Buying Tips for Restaurant Owners
If you own a restaurant or you’re starting a new one, you will need the right equipment. It is important to choose quality equipment that will not only get the job done well but also cost you less in the long run. However, it can be hard to know where to start. Here...
5 Decor Ideas for an Inviting Restaurant Feel
Great food and customer service are important parts of the equation that keeps customers coming, but the restaurant experience is not just about the food. The best restaurants cater to every aspect of a customer’s experience. The right ambiance is a must. This means...
5 Tips for an Ergonomically Sound Restaurant
The physical environment of your restaurant should not only be appealing to customers but also be comfortable and safe for your employees. Due to the repetitive motions that characterize the job description of restaurant employees, there is a potential for...
How to Make Your Silverware Sparkle and Shine
No one wants to eat off of dirty or tarnished silverware. While it’s easy to clean silverware of leftover food, the tarnishing will still linger unless you take steps to make your silverware shine. To make the best impression on your guests, your silverware should not...
Top 6 Movies for Restaurant Owners
The movies that connect with us on a personal level are the ones that linger in our memories forever, especially when it deals with food and the drama in a commercial kitchen. Achieving that level of intimacy in the fictional world of movies is easier said than done....