Every establishment preparing or serving food should be expecting a visit from the Environmental Health Officer (EHO) every 12-18 months.
I’m sure there are many horror stories of the EHO turning up at the worst moment possible. short staffed, Dirty pots piled up, and the remains of your half eaten sandwich on your workstation. Deliveries that you’ll ‘sort in a minute’ and ‘that spillage’ that has had a towel over it for nearly 3 hours.
I Guarantee that EHO will never show up when it’s quiet, you’ve had chance to deep clean, and paperwork is filed neatly.
My kitchen is generally in good shape, cleaning rotas are in place, temperatures are taken and recorded, and staff know that my fridge layouts are not to be messed with!! (Ok the last one is not true. It escapes me why chefs would store fruit salad where IT’S CLEARLY LABELLED CONDIMENTS!!!! ), anyway, the EHO will always find something. The following is a list of things the EHO have said/found in places that I have worked over the years.
1).
EHO: is that a live wire hanging out the mixer?
Me: not sure, it works ok.
EHO : (tests wire with electrical screwdriver). YES IT’S LIVE! I need to condemn it.
Me: can I make the sponges for tonight’s menu first?
EHO : No.
2).
Me: (is nervous and offers a handshake).
EHO: Why on earth are your hands so sticky? (Sniffs his hands) what is that? !?!?
Me: (ashamed) Not sure.
3).
EHO: What can you tell me about your monthly water tests.
ME: We do them every month!
4).
EHO: Is this where I can wash my hands ?
ME: Yes. ( but actually thinks no you prick! It’s labelled ‘hand-wash only’ for a joke, it’s actually where we wash the salad leaves!!
EHO: does the water always take this long to get hot?
ME: No not at all. (actually it’s sometimes running for so long it reminds you that you need to piss). That’s if it’s not overflowed ‘cos it’s blocked with a concoction of dough, pastry and batter.
5,
EHO: Have you had any signs of rodents in the past 12 weeks.
ME: Nope.
(Actual honest reply should of been YES! We have squirrels that steal from the dumpsters, mice in the laundry, the manager brings his dog in sometimes and there is a robin that craps in dry stores and returns every single year. Also there is a hole in the delivery door where frogs creep in overnight, scare the breakfast chef half to death, then disappear down a drain).
ALL TRUE!!
Chef Unknown
It's a chef's life! 