Restaurant Supplies to Help Ensure Food Safety
February 21, 2019Food safety is one of the most important issues facing restaurants. As Chipotle can tell you, even the very best branding and a very popular product doesn’t stop you from losing a lot of money when food isn’t safe.
What steps can you take to keep your food safe? There are quite a few, but they don’t have to be overwhelming. In fact, having the right restaurant supplies can make the job a lot easier.
Here are some tips to help you keep your customers – and your profits – safe.
Train Chefs to Think Scientifically
Many would argue that cooking is an art, but no one can dispute that it is also a science. Taking ingredients and applying heat and other preparation techniques transform the food in a predictable way that can be repeated over and over.
Taking this one step further allows chefs to focus on food safety as well. Have your kitchen staff memorize FAT TOM: Food, Acidity, Time, Temperature, Oxygen, and Moisture. These are the factors that can contribute to bacteria growth or reduction.
Having the right restaurant supplies will allow them to measure these factors – from the humble instant-read thermometer to the right oven and cooking equipment.
Have a System for Ingredient Recalls
Whether you invest in a third-party system to assist with recalls or develop your own, be sure to have a system in place. You’ll need managers to identify the possible places the ingredient could be, separate and dispose of them, and then get reimbursed for the costs of recalled food from the vendor.
To help make this more affordable, consider building a vendor recall fee into your contracts. This can allow you to recoup your costs, and more importantly, to signal to vendors that you’re serious about quality.
Having your restaurant supplies well organized will help if you ever do face an ingredient recall, and can help you avoid losing additional food to cross-contamination as well.
Choose Restaurant Supplies From Safer Growers
Pay close attention to safety results from your different vendors, and make sure you get your ingredients from suppliers you can trust. Despite razor-thin margins, you’ll find that the cheapest is rarely the right answer.
Instead, save money by choosing high-quality suppliers up front. You deserve the best restaurant supplies, and so do your customers. Look for rigorous food safety practices and you’ll gain peace of mind about your own operation.
Create a Food Safety Culture
Your employees are the front line implementors of these systems, and they are the only line of defense you have. It’s vital that everyone buys into the importance of food safety, not just for the customers but for their own sake as well.
Proper food storage, hand washing, and appropriate use of restaurant supplies are essential if your restaurant is going to succeed. Ensure that employees follow all guidelines.
Are you looking for restaurant equipment that will help you keep food safe? From refrigeration and freezers to storage and organization solutions, we have what you need. Contact us for more information today.
Questions to Ask Before You Invest in Kitchen Equipment
When you invest in kitchen equipment, you want to make sure you’re getting exactly what you need and that it will last you a long time. It can be overwhelming to think about everything you need when you’re starting a restaurant. Even if you’re just trying to add or...
Uh Oh. Handling Restaurant Disaster Recovery
No one wants to think about a major disaster hitting their restaurant. Unfortunately, it can happen at any time. In Arkansas, large areas (including Little Rock) were declared disaster areas as recently as last summer. Severe flooding, wind damage, and tornados are...
Restaurant Supplies You Need: Technology in Your Business
Every business is impacted by technology, and restaurants are no exception. There are dozens of ways to use technology to build your business, improve your efficiency, and serve customers better. Sometimes restaurant owners feel like they’re too busy to implement new...
Key Restaurant Equipment for a Fast-Casual Restaurant
Fast-casual dining has changed how America eats and has impacted what people expect in terms of convenience, price, and food quality. Generally, fast-casual food is affordable and higher-quality than pure fast food. It’s a step above a McDonald’s, without the price or...
Equipment for Your Restaurant: Choosing a Restaurant Concept
Some people who start a restaurant know exactly what they want. They either buy an existing restaurant with a concept, or they create the menu based on their family traditions or ethnic flair. However, not everyone who wants to start a restaurant knows exactly what...
Restaurant Supplies: Using Herbs to Add Flavor to Your Dishes
If you’re looking for new ways to attract people to your restaurant, consider the ways you can add flavor without adding fat or calories. Consumers are more and more concerned about the quality of what they eat, both at home and in a restaurant. Home cooks generally...
Commercial Kitchen Debate: Stainless Steel vs. Non-Stick Pans
If you run a commercial kitchen, you probably have a lot of ways of doing things that just seem right to you. For whatever reason, you decided between a gas and electric stove. You made decisions about dishware. And you probably have a position on the stainless steel...
Restaurant Equipment: How to Handle Gluten Allergies
In the last five years, you’ve probably seen a dramatic increase in the number of restaurant customers you have that are avoiding gluten. Some of them simply don’t like it, and others have a life-threatening reaction if they eat it. As a restaurant owner, you want to...
Reduce Food Waste: Proper Kitchen Equipment and More
Food waste is a reality in any commercial restaurant, but it doesn’t have to be accepted blindly. Too many restaurant owners or head chefs feel as though there is nothing they can do about this waste. Fortunately, there’s a lot you can do to reduce food waste in your...
Restaurant Supplies: Furnishing an Outdoor Sitting Area
Outdoor dining is a very enjoyable experience for many people. In Little Rock the weather is generally pleasant, although humidity may make it hard to eat outside on the hottest summer days. Adding an outdoor sitting area to your restaurant can be a great way to...
Commercial Kitchen Fun: The Wonder of Chocolate
If there’s anything that almost everyone loves as much as coffee, it’s chocolate. In fact, there are multiple celebrations of chocolate each year. Chocolate Day is on July 7th, because historically that’s when chocolate was first brought to Europe in 1550. Don’t miss...
Cooking Equipment Spotlight: Safe Indoor Grilling
Indoor grilling is a great way for your restaurant to delight customers without having to run a big charcoal operation out back. There’s nothing like grilled meat and vegetables to put a great aroma in the air and encourage hungry diners to dig in. There are two...
Restaurant Supplies: How to Properly Store Spirits & Drinks
Spirits and other alcoholic drinks can add a lot to your bottom line as a restaurant. These drinks often have high margins, and people order more than one frequently. This leads to more revenue for your restaurant and better tips for your servers! In order to make the...
Going Green Can Benefit Your Commercial Kitchen
Do you feel like running a restaurant means that you have to give in to wasted food, materials, and even money? Great news – you don’t. If you want to build your business, consider going green! You can structure your commercial kitchen to help the planet while also...
Key Foodservice Equipment for Your Food Truck
Are you ready to start a food truck? While the restaurant industry climbs slowly at roughly two percent a year, the food truck industry has been booming. Growing nearly 8% per year over the last five years, trucks are one of the fastest growing parts of the food...