31 May 2024
On Wednesday, we had our last Food Health and Safety Compliance/Business Start-Up Workshop Series with our first cohort. What a treat it was, but before we dig in let’s talk about compliance.
Yes, we all know compliance is super hard to keep up with and then there is the cost factor which by this time businesses just want to give up and call it quits. Not for this group!
Our Business Navigator, Teuila Maggof struck a deal with Grant Pickup, a Compliance and Training Consultant from The Food Business, to provide guidance on preparing a Food Control Plan at a discounted rate, that will make achieving compliance much simpler. Grant also gave a quick lesson for our soon to be restaurateurs/caterers below:
- If you are preparing and selling hot food – you need a Council registration
- You need a food control plan
- For Council records you need to show all safety records such as cleaning jobs. This includes handling of chicken and minced meat
- If you are sick – you need sick records and training records
- Once you make food and selling it – you need to follow the rules
- Every time you start a food business your kitchen becomes a commercial kitchen.
- Commercial kitchen is a kitchen that is registered legally.
You as a business owner must prove to the Council that you have safe and hygienic kitchen standards. The next part of the workshop was presented by Teuila who has been the owner of a successful catering company in the Waikato for over 20 years. Teuila shared her story of the highs and lows of operating a profitable company.
It was a fun and engaging workshop that ended with a lovely meal of Fijian style curry and rice, followed by Samoan Panipopo for dessert, prepared and made by Yafa-Flower Decorations and Bakery.
If you would like to participate in our next Food Health and Safety workshops contact us on 021 229 9346 or [email protected].