Dear Anie,
I hope you managed well with your event last month. Sorry for the late suggestions as I was on vacation last month. Outside caterings in U.A.E at temperatures you have mentioned is a concern during the summer and if there are sand storms the scenario will be worse.
As you mentioned it is difficult to handle staff in very busy operation, but the more and more they are trained and coached they will surely improve. The fact is you need to be strict when it comes to Food Safety.
In brief few tips from my experience are:-
1) Ensure they are briefed on the importance of the safe procedures
2) Ensure sufficient equipments and facilities are available
3) Temperature / time control is important and has to be followed
4) Good personal hygiene practices to be strictly adhered.
5) Sufficient staff and materials are to be available.
I shall mention how I manage and handle with large caterings. The first thing I would do is prepare a checklist including the following points well in advance:-
a) You need to brief to all the staff involved in preparation & service with respect to personal hygiene & safe handling practices (well in advance or during the planning or briefing stage). The personal hygiene and staff fitness should be checked a day before and on the day of catering.
b) Food preparation & storage operation to be monitored closely.
c) Check for the equipments which will be used for storing and preparation with regards to the cleanliness, maintenance & temperature settings inclusive of calibration of the gauges.
d) Check on the cleaning & disinfecting chemicals which will be required (sufficient stock)
e) Check for hand wash facility or hand disinfection in the facility and plan accordingly.
f) Discuss with chef regarding the menu plan, layout, the time when the preparation for the catering will begin, check on the storage space availability in your hotel and the temperature readings of the units and foods, the list of staff names, occupational health cards availability etc.
g) Ensure all the pre-processed and processed foods are stored covered, labeled and no cross-contamination in any stage of the process flow (storage , preparation or cooking, cooling, transportation)
h) A plan made regarding the order of the foods which will be loaded like (pastries and cold dishes will be loaded separately or at the end) in case of hot temperatures of the area…..
i) The hot and cold foods are to be held in hot / cold cabinets during the loading and should be well covered. The cabinets should be clean and the gasket or seal should be in good condition so that the temperature is maintained.
j) The temperature controlled vehicle which will be used for transporting (whether it is clean, temperature gauges are working and calibrated) is in good working condition.
k) The vehicles are to be pre-cooled before loading.
l) The truck temperatures before loading should be noted and wherever possible spot check the temperatures of the foods before being loaded from the storage areas. All checks are to be recorded.
m) Non- food items should not be transported with food items
n) Check the temperature of the truck during un-loading and observe the food transportation and loading operation to make sure there is no chance of any contamination or temperature abuse.
o) In the site all the chillers and hot cabinets or any equipment are clean and being pre- cooled or pre-heated before preparation of the food.
p) All the crockery and cutlery should be clean and covered to avoid dust accumulation from the time the set up is done.
q) Ensure each station / counter has a hand wash or disinfection provision.
r) Usually in a buffet set up the food is being displayed half an hour before the event and will be kept closed. Hot foods will be kept in chaffing dishes and the temperature of the foods should be monitored and recorded every hour or two hours once. The person responsible for that area (chef) has to ensure enough the temperature of the foods is in the danger zone only for a max. 4 hours after which it should be discarded or display small portions and re-fill as and when required.
s) All the food temperatures should be recorded as per the counter / station.
t) Observe the staff doing the live stations and ensure good hygiene practices are followed e.g. a person handling money should not handle food with bare hands or if gloves are being used it should be changed frequently.
Hope this will be useful for your future large caterings.
Regards
J
