No such thing as bad publicity -EHO

Hospitality marketing - free marketing ideas for restaurants, hotels , pubs & resorts. Promotional ideas & tips for restaurants. Promotions, discount ideas , food, recipes promotional menu ideas restaurant marketing running restaurants restaurant help hospitality industry marketing food products promoting & marketing BARS restaurant advice meal promotions gastro pubs, marketing advertising Promotions

Restaurant Marketing & Promotion

Industry News & Products

The News

Still only 20p

‘‘

For more information and a free HACCP downloadable

kitchen hygiene pack go to www.food.gov.uk

You’ll find all the daily forms you need to fill in, plus staff training info

and full colour photographs & charts

Do staff always wash their hands between tasks – e.g. after handling food, putting out waste, mopping and cleaning floors & surfaces?
Are all staff free of illness and infection?
Kitchen hygiene
Is all food equipment properly washed, rinsed, and stored after use?
Are cleaners and chemicals properly labelled and stored away from food areas?
Are all walls, floors, and ceilings clean and in good repair?
Is there any evidence of insects and/or rodents?
Are all waste areas (inside and outside) kept clean, free of trip hazards, and bin lids kept closed?

If your lunch-time trade is slow or you’re closed in the afternoons or on a particular weekday, think about holding cooking classes in your restaurant.

There’s no such a thing as bad publicity ..........or is there?

asks Andrew Howarth

Today’s Menu

Local posh restaurant says ‘not guilty’ to dead fish rap

Thursday 11th April 2009

See page 15

The Echo

Fhhsif sjj sfsfs f gasjagji aakkm dasdga djd adkak asd fasd gaga a ga ag a a a g asdas adfgrew e reqg g a a ga ag az g a g drfgaserg arg r a hhwt e ht r t h wh wrh adga d ag a g 5 5 g ag a g a a g a g a a ag fd fds fsd d

The story painted a grim picture of kitchen operations - fridge temperatures running at 7˚C, poor date labelling and reliance on high numbers of unskilled foreign workers. The public made up their own minds and the restaurant was up for sale within two months.

It’s easy to think that all this could have been avoided by sticking with ‘normal fish’ like sea bass or Pollock, which are both low risk and sustainable. But customers these days are demanding new and more adventurous dishes and chefs are being pushed to source speciality ingredients from far-flung places.

In these situations, adequate precautions are essential and this is where the EHO can help. His role is not only to make sure every kitchen maintains an adequate standard of hygiene but also to offer advice on avoiding food contamination. And, as I learned by experience, improving operating procedures can also increase margins and boost profit.

At the time of the Mahi Mahi incident, I was head chef at a nearby Italian restaurant. Shortly afterwards we received a surprise visit from the EHO asking all sorts of questions about the tuna and chilli cakes we were serving as a starter. How did we buy the tuna? (fresh sashimi grade blue fin), How did we store it? (by preparing the tuna cakes on the day of delivery and freezing them raw in pre-portioned freezer bags) How did we serve them? (by taking out enough for the next day, defrosting them in the fridge overnight, then cooking them to order, using any leftover for our canapé plate the next day). He wasn’t satisfied. Handling fresh tuna constituted a risk. The dish would have to go.

So, after a friendly chat and some joint brainstorming, we agreed to replace the tuna with salmon, add a few more ingredients and re-name it ‘Scottish salmon croquettes with chilli and coriander dipping sauce.’ The customers loved it. Thanks to the EHO we eliminated a risk we hadn’t been aware of, reduced the cost of the main ingredient (salmon costs about a third of fresh tuna), increased the profit margin (by keeping the price the same) and increased sales.

So look upon your local EHO as a friend rather than a foe. The chance of him dropping in without notice is a good incentive to take a hard look at the way things are done in your kitchen.

Item to check	Ok ?
Food delivery and storage
Are food deliveries made by suppliers at the proper temperatures?
Is food and packaging checked before deliveries are accepted?
Does food arrive labelled and dated? If not, is this done immediately on delivery?
Is food stored safely, off the floor and at the right temperature?
Is food covered, wrapped or stored in proper containers?
Are food storage rooms and areas kept clean and properly organised?
Refrigeration
Are all fridges and freezers working properly?
Are the temperature read - outs correct?
Are walk- in fridges and freezers cold enough?
Do all doors shut properly?
Is all food wrapped, covered and labelled?
Is food prepared and chilled/frozen on site, labelled and dated?
Are all refrigerators and freezers equipped with thermometers?
Is the raw meat, poultry, and seafood stored on shelves under prepared food and produce?
Are fridges and freezers kept clean?
Food preparation
Is all frozen food thawed properly before use?
Are fruit and veg washed before preparation?
Do staff prepare raw and cooked food separately, and wash their hands in between?
Are food preparation areas and materials (e.g. cloths) regularly cleaned and sanitised?
Is hand contact with ready-to - eat food (e.g. cheese, prepared salads) kept to a minimum?
Cooking
Are kitchen thermometers used to check food temperatures?
Is hot food stored safely and at the right temperature before serving?
Is pre - cooked food reheated quickly and safely?
Staff
Do your staff have recognised food handling and hygiene qualifications?
Is there a trained and experienced member of staff working with new or untrained employees?
Are staff clothing/uniforms clean?
Do staff cover or tie back their hair?
Are hand-wash basins in working order?
Are staff supplied with anti-bacterial hand-wash and paper towels?

Things went from bad to worse when the local newspaper got hold of it and published his photograph under the headline ‘I’m innocent.’

Make friends with your local EHO

- he could be your secret marketing weapon

There’s no such thing as bad publicity, they say, but as one French restaurant in Manchester found out recently, in the restaurant trade that’s a myth. A serious food scare can bring down even the most respectable establishment.

The business in question had been established for 12 years with a large customer base but that counted for nothing when diners reported feeling unwell after consuming Mahi Mahi, a tropical fish, loosely related to tuna. The EHO was called in to investigate and found substantial levels of toxins. In court, the owner argued that because the fish were caught on ‘long lines’ and dragged behind trawlers for miles, much of the catch could have already been dead when it reached the boats. This, along with the length of time in transit, could explain the toxins. But despite trying to blame his supplier, this unfortunate restaurateur was found guilty and ordered to pay £3,000 costs. Things went from bad to worse when the local paper got hold of it and published his photograph under the headline ‘I’m innocent’

But what’s all this got to do with marketing?

Believe it or not quite a bit. Not only is a clean, hygienic, fully-operational kitchen an asset you can be proud of, it’s also something worth showing off and possibly using outside service times to generate more income. Try inviting local high school students to look round it as part of their work experience. Impress upon them the stringent controls you have in place to keep your kitchen hygienic. Even show them your EHO report. Interested teenagers going home and telling their parents about their fascinating trip to a ‘real’ restaurant will give you free exposure to potential new customers. And, as we know, it’s often the children who call the shots.

If you have a slow lunch-time trade or are closed in the afternoons or on a particular weekday, think about holding cooking classes in your restaurant. Research a food topic, such as pasta and offer to demonstrate some basic techniques. What might seem simple to a chef usually fascinates the public, who love to see behind the scenes in a restaurant. I once ran a one-day course where participants came to the restaurant during the day to cook and prepare a meal then invited their partners to share it with them in the evening. I gave a short presentation about the days’ events and introduced some matching wines. The result was a roomful of happy customers and some reasonable takings in the till.

How does your kitchen measure up?

Before inviting the public into your kitchen you need to be sure it will pass muster. That way, not only can you use it to generate more income but should the EHO spring a surprise visit you will be ready for him. Run through the following checklist, answering the questions as honestly and put right any shortcomings before it’s too late.

Checklist !