Business Compatibility
Will your business be located next to businesses that will generate traffic for your restaurant? Or will you be located near businesses that may clash with yours?
Merchants Associations
• Find out about the area's merchants association.
• What if there is no merchant's association? Generally, a shopping areas or a business center without a merchant's association is on the decline. You should shun locations with these warning signs: extensive litter or debris in the area, vacant stores, a parking lot in need of repairs, etc. With a little on-site investigation, they are easy to avoid.
Responsiveness of the Landlord
• Any restriction of placement and size of signs?
• Ignores needed maintenance and repairs?
• Rents out adjacent spaces to incompatible-- or worse, directly competing-- businesses?
• To find out if the landlord is responsive to the needs of the tenants talk to the tenants before you commit to moving in yourself. Ask them:
• Does the landlord return calls in a reasonable period and send people quickly?
• Is it necessary to nag the landlord just to get routine maintenance taken care of?
• Does the landlord just collect the rent and disappear, or is he or she sympathetic to the needs of the tenants?
• Does the landlord have any policies that hamper marketing innovations?
Zoning and Planning
• Are there restrictions that will limit or hamper your operations?
• Will construction or changes in city traffic or new highways present barriers to your restaurant?
• Will any competitive advantages you currently find at the location you're considering be diminished by zoning changes that will be advantageous for competitors or even allow new competitors to enter your trade area?
Leases
• Do you plan to operate the business in your first location indefinitely or have you set a given number of years as a limit?
• If your business is successful, will you be able to expand at this location?
• Is your lease flexible, so that you have an option to renew after a specified number of years?
• Or is the lease of limited duration so, if need be, you may seek another location?
• Study the proposed lease agreement carefully. Get advice from your lawyer or other experts. Does the agreement:
• Peg rent to sales volume (with a definite scaling) or is rent merely fixed? Or both?
• Protect you as well as the property owner?
• Put in writing the promises the property owner has made about repairs, construction and reconstruction, decorating, alterations, and maintenance?
• Contain prohibitions against subleasing?
Other Considerations
• How much dining, kitchen, office, storage space do you need?
• Is parking available and adequate?
• Do you require special lighting, cooling or other installations?
• Will your advertising expenses be much higher if you choose a relatively remote location?
• Is the area served by public transportation?
• Can the area serve as a source of manpower supply?
• Is there adequate fire and police protection?
• Will sanitation or utility supply be problem?
• Is exterior lighting in the area adequate to attract evening guests and make them feel safe?
• Are customer restroom facilities available?
• Is the restaurant accessible?
• Will insurance be prohibitively expensive?
• Is the trade area heavily dependent on seasonal business?
• Do the people you want for customers live or work nearby?
Locate in Haste, Repent at Leisure
• Selection of a restaurant location requires time and careful consideration. It should not be done in haste just to coincide with a loan approval, for example.
• If you haven't found a suitable location, don't plan to open until you're sure you've got what you want.
• Put your plans on hold, don't just settle for a location you hope might work out.
• A few months of delay is only a minor setback compared to the massive-- often fatal-- problems that occur in operating a restaurant business in a poor location.
Wednesday, June 30, 2010
The Seven Rules of Excellent Dining Service
1. Serve women before men.
An exception would be in the presence of children. In this case, the children would have to be served first, followed by the women, and lastly, the men.
2. Serve food from the left side of the guest with the service staff's left hand.
Service should proceed in a clockwise direction for ease of movement and efficiency on the part of service staff.
3. Serve beverages from the guest's right hand with the service staff's right hand.
Alcoholic beverages should be placed on a cocktail napkin placed in from of the guest. It there is a meal before the guest, the beverage should be placed above the knives and spoons on the right side of the guest.
Cups and glasses to be refilled should not be picked up unless it would be hazardous to leave them on the table. To properly serve water, pour water using the right hand, with the left hand folded behind the back.
4. Bring all of the guests' food at the same time. Unless requested otherwise.
The manager should device a means for the guests to be served at the same time.
5. Remove dirty plates only when the guests are finished with their meal.
6. Never scrape of stack dirty dishes on the guest's table.
7. Clear dirty dishes from the right side of the guests with the service staff's right hand.
The proper way to remove dishes from the table is to first removed the dirty silverware with the right hand, to be transferred to the left hand, followed by the dirty plate in the same manner; moving in a clockwise direction, the next guest's silverware and plate will be removed.
Scraping of the dishes should be done away from guests, not in front of them. This can be done by stepping back, out of view of the guests and proceeding with the said task.
An exception would be in the presence of children. In this case, the children would have to be served first, followed by the women, and lastly, the men.
2. Serve food from the left side of the guest with the service staff's left hand.
Service should proceed in a clockwise direction for ease of movement and efficiency on the part of service staff.
3. Serve beverages from the guest's right hand with the service staff's right hand.
Alcoholic beverages should be placed on a cocktail napkin placed in from of the guest. It there is a meal before the guest, the beverage should be placed above the knives and spoons on the right side of the guest.
Cups and glasses to be refilled should not be picked up unless it would be hazardous to leave them on the table. To properly serve water, pour water using the right hand, with the left hand folded behind the back.
4. Bring all of the guests' food at the same time. Unless requested otherwise.
The manager should device a means for the guests to be served at the same time.
5. Remove dirty plates only when the guests are finished with their meal.
6. Never scrape of stack dirty dishes on the guest's table.
7. Clear dirty dishes from the right side of the guests with the service staff's right hand.
The proper way to remove dishes from the table is to first removed the dirty silverware with the right hand, to be transferred to the left hand, followed by the dirty plate in the same manner; moving in a clockwise direction, the next guest's silverware and plate will be removed.
Scraping of the dishes should be done away from guests, not in front of them. This can be done by stepping back, out of view of the guests and proceeding with the said task.
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
12 Important Factors in Choosing A Restaurant
1. Menu item variety
2. Image and atmosphere
3. Comfort level
4. Location
5. Service quality
6. Type of food
7. Quality of food
8. Cost of food
9. Prompt handling of complaints
10. Speed of service
11. New experience
12. Facilities for children
2. Image and atmosphere
3. Comfort level
4. Location
5. Service quality
6. Type of food
7. Quality of food
8. Cost of food
9. Prompt handling of complaints
10. Speed of service
11. New experience
12. Facilities for children
Wednesday, April 15, 2009
The Seven Rules of Excellent Service
1. Serve women before men.
An exception would be in the presence of children. In this case, the children would have to be served first, followed by the women, and lastly, the men.
2. Serve food from the left side of the guest with the service staff's left hand.
Service should proceed in a clockwise direction for ease of movement and efficiency on the part of service staff.
3. Serve beverages from the guest's right hand with the service staff's right hand.
Alcoholic beverages should be placed on a cocktail napkin placed in from of the guest. It there is a meal before the guest, the beverage should be placed above the knives and spoons on the right side of the guest.
Cups and glasses to be refilled should not be picked up unless it would be hazardous to leave them on the table. To properly serve water, pour water using the right hand, with the left hand folded behind the back.
4. Bring all of the guests' food at the same time. Unless requested otherwise.
The manager should device a means for the guests to be served at the same time.
5. Remove dirty plates only when the guests are finished with their meal.
6. Never scrape of stack dirty dishes on the guest's table.
7. Clear dirty dishes from the right side of the guests with the service staff's right hand.
The proper way to remove dishes from the table is to first removed the dirty silverware with the right hand, to be transferred to the left hand, followed by the dirty plate in the same manner; moving in a clockwise direction, the next guest's silverware and plate will be removed.
Scraping of the dishes should be done away from guests, not in front of them. This can be done by stepping back, out of view of the guests and proceeding with the said task.
An exception would be in the presence of children. In this case, the children would have to be served first, followed by the women, and lastly, the men.
2. Serve food from the left side of the guest with the service staff's left hand.
Service should proceed in a clockwise direction for ease of movement and efficiency on the part of service staff.
3. Serve beverages from the guest's right hand with the service staff's right hand.
Alcoholic beverages should be placed on a cocktail napkin placed in from of the guest. It there is a meal before the guest, the beverage should be placed above the knives and spoons on the right side of the guest.
Cups and glasses to be refilled should not be picked up unless it would be hazardous to leave them on the table. To properly serve water, pour water using the right hand, with the left hand folded behind the back.
4. Bring all of the guests' food at the same time. Unless requested otherwise.
The manager should device a means for the guests to be served at the same time.
5. Remove dirty plates only when the guests are finished with their meal.
6. Never scrape of stack dirty dishes on the guest's table.
7. Clear dirty dishes from the right side of the guests with the service staff's right hand.
The proper way to remove dishes from the table is to first removed the dirty silverware with the right hand, to be transferred to the left hand, followed by the dirty plate in the same manner; moving in a clockwise direction, the next guest's silverware and plate will be removed.
Scraping of the dishes should be done away from guests, not in front of them. This can be done by stepping back, out of view of the guests and proceeding with the said task.
Sunday, April 12, 2009
Food safety and foodborne illness
Food safety is an increasingly important public health issue. Governments all over the world are intensifying their efforts to improve food safety. These efforts are in response to an increasing number of food safety problems and rising consumer concerns.
Definition of foodborne illness: Foodborne illnesses are defined as diseases, usually either infectious or toxic in nature, caused by agents that enter the body through the ingestion of food. Every person is at risk of foodborne illness.
Magnitude of foodborne illness: Foodborne diseases are a widespread and growing public health problem, both in developed and developing countries.
• The global incidence of foodborne disease is difficult to estimate, but it has been reported that in 2000 alone 2.1 million people died from diarrhoeal diseases. A great proportion of these cases can be attributed to contamination of food and drinking water. Additionally, diarrhoea is a major cause of malnutrition in infants and young children.
• In industrialized countries, the percentage of people suffering from foodborne diseases each year has been reported to be up to 30%. In the United States of America (USA), for example, around 76 million cases of foodborne diseases, resulting in 325,000 hospitalizations and 5,000 deaths, are estimated to occur each year.
• While less well documented, developing countries bear the brunt of the problem due to the presence of a wide range of foodborne diseases, including those caused by parasites. The high prevalence of diarrhoeal diseases in many developing countries suggests major underlying food safety problems.
• While most foodborne diseases are sporadic and often not reported, foodborne disease outbreaks may take on massive proportions. For example, in 1994, an outbreak of salmonellosis due to contaminated ice cream occurred in the USA, affecting an estimated 224,000 persons. In 1988, an outbreak of hepatitis A, resulting from the consumption of contaminated clams, affected some 300,000 individuals in China.
Major foodborne diseases from microorganisms
• Salmonellosis is a major problem in most countries. Salmonellosis is caused by the Salmonella bacteria and symptoms are fever, headache, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain and diarrhoea. Examples of foods involved in outbreaks of salmonellosis are eggs, poultry and other meats, raw milk and chocolate.
• Campylobacteriosis is a widespread infection. It is caused by certain species of Campylobacter bacteria and in some countries, the reported number of cases surpasses the incidence of salmonellosis. Foodborne cases are mainly caused by foods such as raw milk, raw or undercooked poultry and drinking water. Acute health effects of campylobacteriosis include severe abdominal pain, fever, nausea and diarrhoea. In two to ten per cent of cases the infection may lead to chronic health problems, including reactive arthritis and neurological disorders.
• Infections due to enterohaemorrhagic (causing intestinal bleeding) E. coli, e.g. E.coli O157, and listeriosis are important foodborne diseases which have emerged over the last decades. Although their incidence is relatively low, their severe and sometimes fatal health consequences, particularly among infants, children and the elderly, make them among the most serious foodborne infections.
• Cholera is a major public health problem in developing countries, also causing enormous economic losses. The disease is caused by the bacterium Vibrio cholerae. In addition to water, contaminated foods can be the vehicle of infection. Different foods, including rice, vegetables, millet gruel and various types of seafood have been implicated in outbreaks of cholera. Symptoms, including abdominal pain, vomiting and profuse watery diarrhoea, may lead to severe dehydration and possibly death, unless fluid and salt are replaced.
Other food safety problems: some major examples are:
• Naturally occurring toxins, such as mycotoxins, marine biotoxins, cyanogenic glycosides and toxins occurring in poisonous mushrooms, periodically cause severe intoxications. Mycotoxins, such as aflatoxin and ochratoxin A, are found at measurable levels in many staple foods; the health implications of long-term exposure of such toxins are poorly understood.
• Unconventional agents such as the agent causing bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE, or "mad cow disease"), is associated with variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob (vCJD) Disease in humans. Consumption of bovine products containing brain tissue is the most likely route for transmission of the agent to humans.
• Persistant Organic Pollutants (POPs) are compounds that accumulate in the environment and the human body. Known examples are Dioxins and PCBs (polychlorinated biphenyls). Dioxins are unwanted byproducts of some industrial processes and waste incineration. Exposure to POPs may result in a wide variety of adverse effects in humans.
• Metals: such as lead and mercury, cause neurological damage in infants and children. Exposure to cadmium can also cause kidney damage, usually seen in the elderly. These (and POPs) may contaminate food through pollution of air, water and soil.
Food safety is an increasingly important public health issue. Governments all over the world are intensifying their efforts to improve food safety. These efforts are in response to an increasing number of food safety problems and rising consumer concerns.
Definition of foodborne illness: Foodborne illnesses are defined as diseases, usually either infectious or toxic in nature, caused by agents that enter the body through the ingestion of food. Every person is at risk of foodborne illness.
Magnitude of foodborne illness: Foodborne diseases are a widespread and growing public health problem, both in developed and developing countries.
• The global incidence of foodborne disease is difficult to estimate, but it has been reported that in 2000 alone 2.1 million people died from diarrhoeal diseases. A great proportion of these cases can be attributed to contamination of food and drinking water. Additionally, diarrhoea is a major cause of malnutrition in infants and young children.
• In industrialized countries, the percentage of people suffering from foodborne diseases each year has been reported to be up to 30%. In the United States of America (USA), for example, around 76 million cases of foodborne diseases, resulting in 325,000 hospitalizations and 5,000 deaths, are estimated to occur each year.
• While less well documented, developing countries bear the brunt of the problem due to the presence of a wide range of foodborne diseases, including those caused by parasites. The high prevalence of diarrhoeal diseases in many developing countries suggests major underlying food safety problems.
• While most foodborne diseases are sporadic and often not reported, foodborne disease outbreaks may take on massive proportions. For example, in 1994, an outbreak of salmonellosis due to contaminated ice cream occurred in the USA, affecting an estimated 224,000 persons. In 1988, an outbreak of hepatitis A, resulting from the consumption of contaminated clams, affected some 300,000 individuals in China.
Major foodborne diseases from microorganisms
• Salmonellosis is a major problem in most countries. Salmonellosis is caused by the Salmonella bacteria and symptoms are fever, headache, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain and diarrhoea. Examples of foods involved in outbreaks of salmonellosis are eggs, poultry and other meats, raw milk and chocolate.
• Campylobacteriosis is a widespread infection. It is caused by certain species of Campylobacter bacteria and in some countries, the reported number of cases surpasses the incidence of salmonellosis. Foodborne cases are mainly caused by foods such as raw milk, raw or undercooked poultry and drinking water. Acute health effects of campylobacteriosis include severe abdominal pain, fever, nausea and diarrhoea. In two to ten per cent of cases the infection may lead to chronic health problems, including reactive arthritis and neurological disorders.
• Infections due to enterohaemorrhagic (causing intestinal bleeding) E. coli, e.g. E.coli O157, and listeriosis are important foodborne diseases which have emerged over the last decades. Although their incidence is relatively low, their severe and sometimes fatal health consequences, particularly among infants, children and the elderly, make them among the most serious foodborne infections.
• Cholera is a major public health problem in developing countries, also causing enormous economic losses. The disease is caused by the bacterium Vibrio cholerae. In addition to water, contaminated foods can be the vehicle of infection. Different foods, including rice, vegetables, millet gruel and various types of seafood have been implicated in outbreaks of cholera. Symptoms, including abdominal pain, vomiting and profuse watery diarrhoea, may lead to severe dehydration and possibly death, unless fluid and salt are replaced.
Other food safety problems: some major examples are:
• Naturally occurring toxins, such as mycotoxins, marine biotoxins, cyanogenic glycosides and toxins occurring in poisonous mushrooms, periodically cause severe intoxications. Mycotoxins, such as aflatoxin and ochratoxin A, are found at measurable levels in many staple foods; the health implications of long-term exposure of such toxins are poorly understood.
• Unconventional agents such as the agent causing bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE, or "mad cow disease"), is associated with variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob (vCJD) Disease in humans. Consumption of bovine products containing brain tissue is the most likely route for transmission of the agent to humans.
• Persistant Organic Pollutants (POPs) are compounds that accumulate in the environment and the human body. Known examples are Dioxins and PCBs (polychlorinated biphenyls). Dioxins are unwanted byproducts of some industrial processes and waste incineration. Exposure to POPs may result in a wide variety of adverse effects in humans.
• Metals: such as lead and mercury, cause neurological damage in infants and children. Exposure to cadmium can also cause kidney damage, usually seen in the elderly. These (and POPs) may contaminate food through pollution of air, water and soil.
Definition of foodborne illness: Foodborne illnesses are defined as diseases, usually either infectious or toxic in nature, caused by agents that enter the body through the ingestion of food. Every person is at risk of foodborne illness.
Magnitude of foodborne illness: Foodborne diseases are a widespread and growing public health problem, both in developed and developing countries.
• The global incidence of foodborne disease is difficult to estimate, but it has been reported that in 2000 alone 2.1 million people died from diarrhoeal diseases. A great proportion of these cases can be attributed to contamination of food and drinking water. Additionally, diarrhoea is a major cause of malnutrition in infants and young children.
• In industrialized countries, the percentage of people suffering from foodborne diseases each year has been reported to be up to 30%. In the United States of America (USA), for example, around 76 million cases of foodborne diseases, resulting in 325,000 hospitalizations and 5,000 deaths, are estimated to occur each year.
• While less well documented, developing countries bear the brunt of the problem due to the presence of a wide range of foodborne diseases, including those caused by parasites. The high prevalence of diarrhoeal diseases in many developing countries suggests major underlying food safety problems.
• While most foodborne diseases are sporadic and often not reported, foodborne disease outbreaks may take on massive proportions. For example, in 1994, an outbreak of salmonellosis due to contaminated ice cream occurred in the USA, affecting an estimated 224,000 persons. In 1988, an outbreak of hepatitis A, resulting from the consumption of contaminated clams, affected some 300,000 individuals in China.
Major foodborne diseases from microorganisms
• Salmonellosis is a major problem in most countries. Salmonellosis is caused by the Salmonella bacteria and symptoms are fever, headache, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain and diarrhoea. Examples of foods involved in outbreaks of salmonellosis are eggs, poultry and other meats, raw milk and chocolate.
• Campylobacteriosis is a widespread infection. It is caused by certain species of Campylobacter bacteria and in some countries, the reported number of cases surpasses the incidence of salmonellosis. Foodborne cases are mainly caused by foods such as raw milk, raw or undercooked poultry and drinking water. Acute health effects of campylobacteriosis include severe abdominal pain, fever, nausea and diarrhoea. In two to ten per cent of cases the infection may lead to chronic health problems, including reactive arthritis and neurological disorders.
• Infections due to enterohaemorrhagic (causing intestinal bleeding) E. coli, e.g. E.coli O157, and listeriosis are important foodborne diseases which have emerged over the last decades. Although their incidence is relatively low, their severe and sometimes fatal health consequences, particularly among infants, children and the elderly, make them among the most serious foodborne infections.
• Cholera is a major public health problem in developing countries, also causing enormous economic losses. The disease is caused by the bacterium Vibrio cholerae. In addition to water, contaminated foods can be the vehicle of infection. Different foods, including rice, vegetables, millet gruel and various types of seafood have been implicated in outbreaks of cholera. Symptoms, including abdominal pain, vomiting and profuse watery diarrhoea, may lead to severe dehydration and possibly death, unless fluid and salt are replaced.
Other food safety problems: some major examples are:
• Naturally occurring toxins, such as mycotoxins, marine biotoxins, cyanogenic glycosides and toxins occurring in poisonous mushrooms, periodically cause severe intoxications. Mycotoxins, such as aflatoxin and ochratoxin A, are found at measurable levels in many staple foods; the health implications of long-term exposure of such toxins are poorly understood.
• Unconventional agents such as the agent causing bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE, or "mad cow disease"), is associated with variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob (vCJD) Disease in humans. Consumption of bovine products containing brain tissue is the most likely route for transmission of the agent to humans.
• Persistant Organic Pollutants (POPs) are compounds that accumulate in the environment and the human body. Known examples are Dioxins and PCBs (polychlorinated biphenyls). Dioxins are unwanted byproducts of some industrial processes and waste incineration. Exposure to POPs may result in a wide variety of adverse effects in humans.
• Metals: such as lead and mercury, cause neurological damage in infants and children. Exposure to cadmium can also cause kidney damage, usually seen in the elderly. These (and POPs) may contaminate food through pollution of air, water and soil.
Food safety is an increasingly important public health issue. Governments all over the world are intensifying their efforts to improve food safety. These efforts are in response to an increasing number of food safety problems and rising consumer concerns.
Definition of foodborne illness: Foodborne illnesses are defined as diseases, usually either infectious or toxic in nature, caused by agents that enter the body through the ingestion of food. Every person is at risk of foodborne illness.
Magnitude of foodborne illness: Foodborne diseases are a widespread and growing public health problem, both in developed and developing countries.
• The global incidence of foodborne disease is difficult to estimate, but it has been reported that in 2000 alone 2.1 million people died from diarrhoeal diseases. A great proportion of these cases can be attributed to contamination of food and drinking water. Additionally, diarrhoea is a major cause of malnutrition in infants and young children.
• In industrialized countries, the percentage of people suffering from foodborne diseases each year has been reported to be up to 30%. In the United States of America (USA), for example, around 76 million cases of foodborne diseases, resulting in 325,000 hospitalizations and 5,000 deaths, are estimated to occur each year.
• While less well documented, developing countries bear the brunt of the problem due to the presence of a wide range of foodborne diseases, including those caused by parasites. The high prevalence of diarrhoeal diseases in many developing countries suggests major underlying food safety problems.
• While most foodborne diseases are sporadic and often not reported, foodborne disease outbreaks may take on massive proportions. For example, in 1994, an outbreak of salmonellosis due to contaminated ice cream occurred in the USA, affecting an estimated 224,000 persons. In 1988, an outbreak of hepatitis A, resulting from the consumption of contaminated clams, affected some 300,000 individuals in China.
Major foodborne diseases from microorganisms
• Salmonellosis is a major problem in most countries. Salmonellosis is caused by the Salmonella bacteria and symptoms are fever, headache, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain and diarrhoea. Examples of foods involved in outbreaks of salmonellosis are eggs, poultry and other meats, raw milk and chocolate.
• Campylobacteriosis is a widespread infection. It is caused by certain species of Campylobacter bacteria and in some countries, the reported number of cases surpasses the incidence of salmonellosis. Foodborne cases are mainly caused by foods such as raw milk, raw or undercooked poultry and drinking water. Acute health effects of campylobacteriosis include severe abdominal pain, fever, nausea and diarrhoea. In two to ten per cent of cases the infection may lead to chronic health problems, including reactive arthritis and neurological disorders.
• Infections due to enterohaemorrhagic (causing intestinal bleeding) E. coli, e.g. E.coli O157, and listeriosis are important foodborne diseases which have emerged over the last decades. Although their incidence is relatively low, their severe and sometimes fatal health consequences, particularly among infants, children and the elderly, make them among the most serious foodborne infections.
• Cholera is a major public health problem in developing countries, also causing enormous economic losses. The disease is caused by the bacterium Vibrio cholerae. In addition to water, contaminated foods can be the vehicle of infection. Different foods, including rice, vegetables, millet gruel and various types of seafood have been implicated in outbreaks of cholera. Symptoms, including abdominal pain, vomiting and profuse watery diarrhoea, may lead to severe dehydration and possibly death, unless fluid and salt are replaced.
Other food safety problems: some major examples are:
• Naturally occurring toxins, such as mycotoxins, marine biotoxins, cyanogenic glycosides and toxins occurring in poisonous mushrooms, periodically cause severe intoxications. Mycotoxins, such as aflatoxin and ochratoxin A, are found at measurable levels in many staple foods; the health implications of long-term exposure of such toxins are poorly understood.
• Unconventional agents such as the agent causing bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE, or "mad cow disease"), is associated with variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob (vCJD) Disease in humans. Consumption of bovine products containing brain tissue is the most likely route for transmission of the agent to humans.
• Persistant Organic Pollutants (POPs) are compounds that accumulate in the environment and the human body. Known examples are Dioxins and PCBs (polychlorinated biphenyls). Dioxins are unwanted byproducts of some industrial processes and waste incineration. Exposure to POPs may result in a wide variety of adverse effects in humans.
• Metals: such as lead and mercury, cause neurological damage in infants and children. Exposure to cadmium can also cause kidney damage, usually seen in the elderly. These (and POPs) may contaminate food through pollution of air, water and soil.
Fighting Bac: Keeping foodborne diseases away
You can't see, taste, or smell them. They're sneaky little critters, and they can spread throughout the kitchen and get onto cutting boards, utensils, sponges, countertops, and food. They're foodborne bacteria and if eaten, they can cause foodborne illness.
Use these TIPS to keep your hands, surfaces, and utensils squeaky clean!
Wash Up!
· Make sure there's handwashing soap and paper towels or a clean cloth at every sink in your home.
· Wash your hands with hot, soapy water (for at least 20 seconds) before and after handling food and after using the bathroom, changing diapers, or handling pets. Thoroughly scrub hands, wrists, fingernails, and in between fingers. Rinse and dry hands with paper towels or a clean cloth.
Fruits & Veggies
· Rinse raw produce under running water. Don't use soap, detergents, or bleach solutions. For thick or rough-skinned vegetables and fruits, use a small vegetable brush to remove surface dirt. Try to cut away any damaged or bruised areas on produce. Bacteria can thrive in these places.
Surface Cleaning
· Consider using paper towels to clean up kitchen surfaces and throw the germs away with the towels. If you use cloth towels, launder them often, using hot water. Note: Don't dry your hands with a towel that was previously used to clean up raw meat, poultry, or seafood juices.
· Wash your cutting boards, dishes, utensils, and countertops with hot, soapy water after preparing each food item and before you go on to the next food. Periodically, kitchen sanitizers can be used for added protection against bacteria. You can also use one teaspoon of liquid chlorine bleach per quart of clean water to sanitize surfaces. The bleach solution needs to sit on the surface to be sanitized for about 10 minutes to be effective.
· Replace excessively worn cutting boards (including plastic, non-porous acrylic, and wooden boards). Bacteria can grow in the hard-to-clean grooves and cracks.
· In your refrigerator, wipe up spills immediately, clean refrigerator surfaces with hot, soapy water, and, once a week, throw out perishable foods that should no longer be eaten.
· Keep pets off kitchen counters and away from food.
Tuesday, April 7, 2009
When you've chosen the wrong person to be manager...
In our 20 years as consultants to various restaurants and foodservice businesses, we have been often faced with the problem of finding employees, even managers, who are mismatched to the job at hand. Most restaurant owners become hostages to their professional staff for fear of losing them and being left alone running the kitchen or the dining section! Obviously, this is not the way to succeed in business. Manpower planning is just as crucial as designing your menu.
So what can you do when you begin to sense that you've chosen a wrong person for a job? What if you're manager isn't managing at all!?
What is the real work of managers? Henry Mintzberg, the great management writer, had a very realistic view of the manager's job -- working with too little time to do too much. And sometimes we realize that the wrong person is in the position - they lack the necessary qualities, skills and aptitude for this leadership position. So what should they be able to do?
What managers really do:
v They perform a great quantity of work at an unrelenting pace.
v Their tasks are usually short, fragmented and varied.
v They prefer to manage issues that are current, specific and non-routine (rather than planning for the future).
v They prefer verbal to written communication (ring me, don't write to me!)
v They are well connected with a network of internal and external contacts.
v They struggle to exert control over the work.
Before we go into more detail, remember to distinguish the work of a ‘manager’ from that of a ‘supervisor’. The manager’s job is to plan for the future, provide resources and improve facilities, delegating most of the daily operational tasks. The supervisor’s role is to ensure customer satisfaction, lead and train teams of workers and develops solutions to problems. Too many times in hospitality, supervisors are given the title of ‘manager’ with few of the skills or responsibilities that should come with that title. They’re flattered to be given it, and then disappointed that it just seems to be frustration and more hard work. Noticed the ads for ‘hands-on manager’? These usually indicate a supervisor position with a fancy title.
Mintzberg saw the manager’s role divided into 3 main areas, and in considering the performance of your manager, you may want to give them a score on each of the following 10 factors:
Interpersonal roles:
1. Figurehead – the person who is identified as the face of the organization
2. Leader – motivating staff and uniting their efforts
3. Liaison – maintaining contacts and co-operation ‘sideways’ with other departments
Information roles:
4. Keep track of information flow – reports, news, results and figures
5. Communicator of information to staff – keep them in touch with what they need to know
6. Spokesperson for the organization – ready and able to represent the business and answer questions
Decision-maker roles:
7. Entrepreneur – initiator and designer of change in the business - able to develop new directions and initiatives
8. Disturbance handler – dealing with problems, conflict and the unexpected
9. Resource allocator – deciding who gets what and who will do what. Managing a budget and allocation of staff
10. Negotiator – negotiating with suppliers, customers and staff
Effectiveness depends not only on a manager embodying these necessary qualities, but also his or her insight into the quality of their own work Maybe their lack of ability in some of these key areas is at the heart of your manager’s ‘performance problem’. And maybe their lack of insight into the quality of their work means they keep repeating the same mistakes. Let’s analyze the issue a little more, using the following table:
| The Problem: | | 2. Don't know what to do | 3. Don't know how to do it | 4. Don't want to |
| What's needed? | Aptitude | Information | Knowledge and skills | Motivation |
| Solution: | Better selection | Communication | Training | Incentives- pain or gain |
For example, a Function Manager who has poor sales results may not have the aptitude or personality for selling (1) and the solution is usually better selection rather than training that may never produce the confidence needed. Or a Bar Manager who’s been promoted to run a team of staff may really be happier just looking after customers. A waiter who can’t describe the food is often lacking information (2), and communication will overcome it. Training (3) will assist someone who doesn’t know how to do pan cooking or how to make cocktails quickly. When motivation or willingness is lacking (4), there is usually a lack of consequences or incentives – bonuses or praise as positives, or the threat of shift changes or loss of work as negatives. Why should they lift their game if there’s no reason to change?
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