Front-of-the-house foodservice employees also need to understand and practice good food-handling procedures, but training them doesn't have to be a burden.

There is a misconception in our industry that it is more important to train the back-of-the-house (BOH) employees than the front-of-the-house (FOH) employees in food safety. After all, it is the chefs, line cooks and prep cooks that are in charge of handling, preparing and storing the food that ends up being consumed by customers.

Well, that’s not exactly true. Who is in charge of making cocktails and beverages? Who cuts the cocktail fruit? Who serves the bread and butter? Who handles the silverware and glassware? Who runs food to the tables? Your answer is likely a mixture of managers, servers, bartenders, bussers and food runners -who are all FOH employees.

Although everybody knows undercooked chicken, bad seafood and contaminated meat are likely causes of foodborne illness outbreaks, just about any food product in a restaurant can cause an incident if contaminated.

When you think about this, ask yourself who in your restaurant handles the money? Who handles the menus? Who touches door handles? Who fixes their hair and jewelry? Who uses the touch-screen POS terminals?

These are all areas of potential contamination, and if the same FOH employees that come in contact with these problem areas are handling any food or beverage products, your establishment is at risk of causing a food-poisoning incident.

This is why it’s absolutely necessary that these FOH employees have a basic understanding of the general principles and guidelines of proper food-safety practices.

Basic Training
I’m not suggesting that you put all of your FOH employees through an intense, 12-hour, state-approved food safety certification program. Most operators will find that this would not be cost- or time-efficient.

However, there are general food safety training programs available that take no more than a couple of hours for a student to complete a course and be tested. A food safety education course that covers the basics of how to properly handle food and teaches proper handwashing and sanitation should be enough to give your FOH employees the necessary knowledge to prevent foodborne illness outbreaks in your operation.

Get Online
Many foodservice companies are now utilizing technology as a means to train their employees in food safety. Online programs -such as Basic Food Safety Version 2.0 by Safe Food Solutions -teach foodservice employees the basics of safe-food handling and preparation procedures, the causes of foodborne illness and proper hygiene and sanitation.

Studies have shown that this type of general food safety education will lead to a more aware staff, thus reducing the risk of a potential foodborne illness outbreak. Online training can occur on any computer with an Internet connection, including Web-enabled POS touchscreen terminals, making it more convenient than ever to train employees through the use of technology.

Local or state restaurant associations should also be able to recommend or provide a seminar-based class on food safety. Although this will only educate your current staff, in situations with limited turnover this option allows for immediate training for everyone.

Best Face Forward?
As a food safety educator, I am hypersensitive when I go out to eat. I want to make sure the food I will be purchasing is safe to consume, and the establishment is clean and sanitary. The FOH employees are the face of the restaurant, and observing the way they handle themselves can be a good indication of what to expect from the establishment. When I see a server or bartender adjusting his or her hair or handling money and not washing their hands immediately, it gives me the impression that management has not educated its staff and that food safety is not a top priority.

I have seen bussers carry clean glasses by the rim, bartenders handle money and then touch cocktail fruit without washing their hands, and even had servers tell me they felt a cold coming on. Are these people I really want to be handling the food and drinks I’ll be consuming? Most foodservice operators invest a lot of time and money in training their FOH employees on the menu and service. All of that training is useless, however, if they don’t understand that their actions could be responsible for making their guests sick.

For example, say you were dining at a new restaurant and your server had great personality and knew the menu inside and out, and the menu offered good value -everything was in place for a great dining experience.

Then, out of the corner of your eye, you see a person sneeze, rub his nose, then pick up a plate of food and carry it to your table. The plate is then put down in front of you! At this point, does it really matter that your server is charming and knows the menu? Of course not. All you can think about are the contaminants that might be on your food from that sneeze. All of the money and time spent training the FOH has been wasted because you likely won’t eat your food and almost definitely won’t be a repeat customer.

Real Impact
By training your FOH staff in food safety, you’re ensuring that the overall impression of the restaurant in the minds of your guests will be positive, as well as reducing the risk of a foodborne illness incident. Along with basic food safety training, here are some other ways you can make sure the FOH is not spreading contaminants:
· Stress the importance of handwashing correctly and often. Infrequent handwashing is the leading cause of foodborne illness outbreaks. Keep a poster showing proper hand-washing procedure at each sink as a reminder, and make sure the soap and paper towels are never empty.
· Appoint someone to be in charge of periodically cleaning door handles and touch-screen POS terminals throughout the course of service.
· Make sure your FOH employees understand the importance of staying home when ill, even if it’s not that bad. A virus that might only give a young adult the sniffles could be fatal for a young child or senior citizen.
· Regularly quiz your FOH employees on proper food safety practices to ensure they are aware of them at all times.

Do the Right Thing
As a foodservice operator, it is in your best interest to make sure your FOH employees are giving your guests the impression that food safety is a high priority in your establishment. For a minimal investment of time and money, you are ensuring your guests will not only enjoy the food they are buying, but also that they are confident the products they buy from you are safe to consume.  FAD

Lee Biars is the director of industry relations for Safe Food Solutions. Reach him at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it or www.safefoodsolutions.com.