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Food safety without the hassle


The kitchens at five-star-hotel One Aldwych in London switched to cloud-based food safety management system Checkit in 2017 to optimise compliance and free up time spent maintaining and reviewing paper records. It saves about seven hours of staff time a week and hours of management time. Previously, as well as


HACCP compliance tasks, the temperature of the kitchens’ 15 fridge and freezer units had to be manually checked and recorded several times a day. Now, executive chef Dominic


“You can capture customers while they’re engaged rather than let them walk


away” Jo Stanford


So what are the downsides? Well, inevitably hotels in remote places with a spotty internet connection will struggle with a cloud system. Sceptics also fear that the cloud is a security headache, although supporters argue that it is safer than traditional IT systems, which are vulnerable to theft, fire, flood and so on. Reynolds says: “Security breaches typi-


cally happen at point of sale – at the hardware level at the hotel. There may be malware on a LAN and it gets in through phishing emails. That is not caused by the cloud. EMV encryp- tion in the cloud keeps it safer. But nobody is immune, so it is important that due diligence is done by hotels and that they work with reputable vendors.” So what should you look for when choosing


a cloud-based technology provider? According to David Davies, managing director at Checkit, (see box, this page): “Buyers should check their data is being hosted in a secure, state-of-the art facility, that the supplier understands security and data protection, and that the platform is well supported. If hardware is part of the sys- tem, they should also check that the supplier is managing and supporting the whole system, not just the software. They should also look for suppliers that use the cloud to continually innovate and improve their solution in part- nership with their customers.”


www.thecaterer.com


Teague manages all compliance information in the cloud, which has given him more control over his 40-strong workforce and the 24/7 operation. If a critical check is missed, he is instantly alerted and can speak to staff to correct the issue. The cloud-based records also help Teague keep an eye on the restaurant, even when he is not on site. “It cuts down on boxes and


boxes of paperwork,” he says. “The information is accurate and always there. You are no longer saying, where is that bit of paper? It gives peace of mind knowing the information is being stored on the cloud. If I am not around, the sous chef will get an alert. It saves time, hassle and space.” As well as being easily


embraced by the tech-minded younger chefs, Teague says the system has the advantage of being bespoke. Cloud-connected


handsets have tailored interactive checklists with scheduled tasks for all staff from kitchen porters to sous chefs. The checklists alert staff when checks are due and guide them through the task. “Times and alerts can be set, as can the fridge temperature and how many people get the alert,” says Teague. “And you can keep on adding stuff. You can expand.” He now uses it to manage all


health and safety procedures and cleaning schedules as well as temperature checks for cooked meat and hot water. “It is not particularly expensive.


You pay for the initial start-up and then a monthly fee.” Checkit managing director


David Davies says: “The hospitality sector depends on teams of people successfully carrying out a multitude of routine but critical tasks. Failure to manage these tasks effectively, particularly in food safety, increases the risk of issues occurring with serious consequences. “Upcoming changes in food


safety regulation and the requirement to display food hygiene ratings will mean that businesses relying on paper- based systems are likely to face greater scrutiny from environmental health officers than those that have invested in digital technology, which demonstrates they are likely to have good processes and management control.”


“It cuts down on boxes and boxes of paperwork, and saves


time, hassle and space” Dominic Teague


Technology Prospectus 2018 | 25


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