Food Safety & Hygiene
What does the temperature danger zone refer to?
5°C and 60°C where bacteria multiply rapidly and food becomes unsafe.
Three main styles of food service:
Table service
Self-service / buffet
Counter / takeaway service
WHS stands for:
Work Health and Safety.
Role of front-of-house:
Customer service, taking orders, serving food/beverages, handling payments, creating positive guest experience.
Why is personal presentation important?
Maintains hygiene standards, creates professional image, builds customer trust.
Minimum internal temperature for poultry?
At least 75°C
Purpose of mise en place:
Preparation and organisation of equipment, ingredients and service items before service to ensure efficiency and consistency.
Two kitchen hazards:
Slippery floors
Hot oil
Sharp knives
Manual handling
Faulty electrical equipment
Gross profit:
Selling price minus cost of goods sold.
Purpose of standard recipe card:
Ensures consistency, portion control, cost accuracy and quality control
Difference between cleaning and sanitising?
Cleaning removes visible dirt, grease and food residue.
Sanitising reduces microorganisms to safe levels using heat or chemicals.
Correct greeting sequence:
Make eye contact and smile
Greet within 30 seconds
Confirm reservation
Seat guests
Present menus and explain specials
Hierarchy of risk control (in order):
Elimination
Substitution
Isolation
Engineering controls
Administrative controls
PPE
À la carte vs table d’hôte:
À la carte: Individually priced items.
Table d’hôte: Set menu at fixed price.
Why is communication critical?
Prevents errors, ensures timely service, reduces conflict, maintains quality.
Two symptoms preventing a food handler from working:
Vomiting
Diarrhoea
Fever
Jaundice
Diagnosed foodborne illness
Responding to undercooked steak complaint:
Apologise sincerely
Remove dish immediately
Offer replacement or alternative
Inform kitchen
Follow up with guest
Describe the responsibilities of a PCBU under WHS legislation.
Ensure, so far as reasonably practicable:
Safe work environment
Safe systems of work
Proper training and supervision
Safe equipment
Risk management procedures
Three menu pricing factors:
Food cost percentage
Target market
Competition
Overheads
Seasonal availability
Teamwork strategies during busy service:
Clear role allocation
Constant communication
Supporting teammates
Staying calm under pressure
Following chain of command
A chef leaves cooked rice at 35°C for 4 hours before refrigeration.
Identify:
The food safety breach
The likely biological hazard
The correct corrective action
Breach: Food stored in the temperature danger zone too long.
Likely hazard: Bacillus cereus bacterial growth.
Correct action: Discard immediately.
Prevention: Rapid cooling (within 2 hours to 21°C, then within 4 hours to 5°C), proper monitoring and documentation.
Severe nut allergy procedures:
Inform kitchen immediately
Check ingredient labels
Prevent cross-contamination
Use separate utensils/equipment
Confirm meal safety before serving
Document communication
Serious burn incident response:
Immediate:
Apply first aid (cool running water 20 mins)
Call emergency services if severe
Reporting:
Notify supervisor
Record in incident report
Notify SafeWork NSW if notifiable
Prevention:
Review risk assessment
Improve training
Adjust procedures
Reinforce PPE use
Factors affecting menu design analysis:
Seasonal ingredients reduce cost and improve quality.
Target market influences pricing and dish complexity.
Food cost percentage ensures profitability (typically 25–35%).
Menus must balance cost, demand and operational efficiency.
What is the impact of professional conduct
Customer satisfaction
Repeat business
Workplace culture
Profitability
Brand reputation