The Northland Events Centre will be able to guarantee top quality food management practices under the New Zealand Food Safety Authority’s (NZFSA) new food safety system.
The catering manager, Mr Dwight Shepherd and business partner Richard Taylor have gained the catering contract for the venue and will provide the food and refreshments for all events held there.
Both men have spent several years in a range of industries and have in common that they both started out in the food industry as ‘dishies’ (dishwashers) and have worked their way through qualifications to get to the top and run their own organisations.
“The dishies are really important to a kitchen because they keep everything clean and play a major role ensuring food standards are maintained,” said Mr Shepherd.
Mr Taylor agrees, saying it is also good as a manager to know the business from the ground up.
“You can’t be afraid to go back. You have to stay connected with all facets of a kitchen operation.”
Their company, Absolute Caterers Ltd, signed up to the off-the-peg Food Control Plan, which provides operators with a ready–written food safety management system.
“This shows these operators are ready and willing to accept full responsibility for serving safe food, and I congratulate them for taking this step,” said Whangarei District Council’s Regulatory Services Manager Grant Couchman.
Mr Shepherd said while there had been a bit of paperwork to get through he thoroughly recommended all eating establishments in Whangarei implement the new food safety system.
“I also own two other catering businesses that have implemented the Food Control Plan.”
The Food Control Plan identifies potential risks at each point of a food business’s operation, from receiving and storing goods to preparing, cooking and serving food, and contains procedures to keep food safe at each point. It emphasises the importance of staff training and hygiene, and includes sickness policies that describe when someone shouldn’t be in direct contact with food, or shouldn’t come to work at all.
It is voluntary at the moment for operators of takeaways, cafes, restaurants and catering establishments to start using the new Food Control Plan. These plans are available free of charge and those participating also get additional assistance from WDC’s Environmental Health Officers.
Mr Couchman said under the new legislation, WDC Environmental Health Officers would no longer be undertaking inspections, but would verify the Food Control Plan by means of an audit.
The audit would include reviewing records, talking to management and staff and visually assessing business activities.
People can easily identify a business with an approved Food Control Plan by the green ‘Serious about food safety’ sticker.
Getting the food handling and catering right at the Northland Events Centre are (from left) Chef Terry Coopman, Absolute Caterers Ltd. Managers Dwight Shepherd and Richard Taylor.