The article in the Caterer and Hotelkeeper this week about the Health & Safety Executive "outing" organisations that hide behind Health & Safety Regulations, is long overdue. See piece entitled Rare burger ban and other myths exploded by Health and Safety
Whether it’s due to poor training, general ignorance or manipulation, some of the myths that prevent customers having the service they want is now being challenged. This news should be a blessing to organisations such as Bryon’s who had their wings clipped from serving rare burgers. See piece entitled Bryon stops serving rare burger after local authority intervention
As long as the findings of the HSE are well publicised then it will be easier to take issue when we are told “No. We can’t do it because of Health & Safety regulations”.
I’m all in favour of rules to protect us from unsanitary practices but there is a wide chasm between poor food handling practices and food that needs to be served at room temperature or rare to deliver the best flavours. Let those that know how to handle these products do their job and come down hard on those that don’t. Use the regulations for the right reasons.
Wendy Sutherland
