Do I Need A Food Handler’s Permit?
The food and beverage industry is a dynamic and ever-changing professional environment. Handling food requires an intense attention to detail, regulations, hospitality, and overall knowledge of how to properly work with food and beverages. A restaurant delivers both products and services; its employees are required to take food safety training in order to deliver the upmost experience of a restaurant’s products and services. While plenty of online courses are available for aspiring or existing food and beverage industry professionals, it is the responsibility of the individual team member to acquire such permits.
Why do I need an Online Food Handlers Permit?
It is imperative for the food and beverage industry professional to have full knowledge of the products they are handling. Improper handling of food could cause disease, sicknesses, and overall immensely detrimental implications to the customer, the restaurant, and the industry. Acquiring a food handlers permit is a standardized method of assuring all food and beverage industry professionals have the proper training to be successful and safe in the restaurant or food service industry. Many states require a food handlers permit, and those whom do not require do give favor to industry professional who have acquired such a permit. Luckily, attaining such a permit is now readily available, via online methods. An online food handlers permit satisfies all of the requirements put forth by the food and beverage industry, while catering to the busy lifestyle of the industry professionals.
The Food and Beverage Professional Roles
Restaurant professionals are cut from a unique stone, one that withstands the pressure of exceptional customer service, strain on the body, and knowledge of products available. The roles are clearly lined out within a restaurant, with every team member working harmoniously for the betterment of the whole. Each of the professional roles listed below could benefit from the acquirement of an online food handlers permit.
Servers – Prompt customer service, safe food handling, knowledge of the menu, and professionalism are all aspects a server should be most concerned with. When searching for an employment at a restaurant, it is to the servers benefit to have undergone food safety training. Servers take orders, run food and drinks, expo food, operate restaurant software, provide exceptional customer service, and handle food.
Host/Hostess - Takes Reservations, organizes seating, greets customers, seats customers, and distributes menus.
Manager - Opens and closes the restaurant, purchases food and beverage inventory, tracks inventory, trains and manages the staff, works with suppliers and manages logistics.
Executive Chef - This person is responsible for all that goes on in the kitchen. He/she should be responsible for hiring and training other cooks, prep persons and dishwashers. They are responsible for the menu, and creating daily specials. Executive chefs coordinate the work of the kitchen staff and often direct the preparation of certain foods. They decide the size of servings, plan menus, and buy food supplies.
Kitchen Staff - may include several chefs and cooks, a bread and pastry baker, vegetable, fry or a sauce chef. Each chef or cook usually has a special assignment and often a special job title.
Bartenders – Any restaurant that offers alcoholic drinks needs a bartender on staff. This person is specifically trained to run a bar, fix drinks, handle high volumes of orders, and know proper food and drink handling.
Bar Backs – A bar back helps the bartender keep the bar clean, orderly, restocked, and free of any hindrances a bartender may experience while working.
