Letters

Why should we take the rap for salmonella?

I WAS interested to read the article "Salmonella Fine is reduced at Appeal.

To my dismay I see that the Department of Health (DoH) is making the same mistake as the USA. Again, the wrong party is being punished and blamed for salmonella infection.

In my 20 years as a chef and eight years as a teacher in culinary arts, I have been aware of a tendency to make our profession responsible for bacterial contaminations rather than attempting to clean up the source.

Our industry is the only one considered at fault when we are supplied with contaminated produce, even though we may use all reasonable caution possible.

Some of the solutions quoted in the article are stop- gaps that do not remove the cause. I am not aware of any Government agencies that are seriously attempting to wipe out the salmonella scourge in the poultry and egg-producing industry, but they all condemn the cook or chef for failing to adhere to the DoH guidelines.

It is time we demanded a change in direction and got the poultry industry to clean up its act and supply us with salmonella-free products.

HENK KUCHLEIN

Chef de Cuisine,

Metropolitan Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

Food transport is under control

I Was surprised at Michael Pearson's comment implying there were unsolvable food safety implications with using a single vehicle to deliver food and non-food items required by a catering operation.

He has only to look at his local high street or supermarket to see that this multi-type food distribution is common with organisations seeking to provide an efficient and safe service.

Single containerised lorries with freezer and chilled compartments can often be seen delivering their food produce/non-food items in a one-stop shop style of operation. There are more than adequate controls that can be put in place to prevent food being contaminated.

This September should see the implementation of the Food Safety (General Food Hygiene) Regulations. As an industry we should welcome their introduction, since for the first time they will make it a legal requirement for food businesses to focus more on the control of hazards likely to lead to food contamination, including its transportation and delivery.

The new regulations have not prohibited the transportation of different foodstuffs and non-food items and it has been recognised that it is feasible to adequately control the risks. So the new regulations have given the green light to the one-stop shop principle.

The draft Catering Industry Guide to good hygiene recently issued for consultation by the Joint Hospitality Industry Congress also states, in line with one of the new regulations, that food and non-food may be delivered in the same vehicle provided that both are adequately separated, wrapped and packed to prevent contamination.

We are working to ensure more than adequate controls are in place to protect food being delivered at our units. By careful loading, temperature control and the use of high-grade packing methods, we are confident that all food will be delivered to our catering operations in a safe and sound condition.

MIKE CHUBB

Environmental Services Manager,

Russell & Brand, Beckenham, Kent.

Ill treatment has bad results

I hope you will permit someone not connected with hospitality to tell you why I would dissuade anyone from entering the industry.

At New Year, a well-known London restaurant-club was seeking staff to augment its employees for a party at an outside venue. It was very up-market, very pleasant and the pay was reasonable.

They were particularly anxious to find nurses in case anyone was taken ill. My daughter applied and was told to report at 6.30pm on 31 December to work until 6.30am on 1 January - 12 hours.

During those 12 hours the staff were not offered anything to eat or drink, nor was there a break. No-one expected a meal, but tea or coffee would have at least indicated a recognition that the workers were human beings.

Until the industry begins to recognise that it owes something to those who actually do the work, as opposed to the managers, it will never be seen, as it is on the Continent, as an honourable, respected trade.

BETTY MANN

London N22.

Chefs are only human

I would imagine that Kevin Clark's letter about the apparent unwillingness of chefs to work (9 February) caused considerable debate among kitchen staff.

Chefs who dedicate 100% of their time to the kitchen are fully entitled to, and good luck to them. I am the wife of a very hard-working pastry chef and would not recommend any chef taking up a position in a company which did not have a policy that looked after its staff.

All too often, chefs are expected to work long hours for little pay. This results in a high staff turnover and little job satisfaction. Pay is important, but so are holidays.

My recipe for a happy and stable staff is sensible hours, caring management, career development opportunities and a wage that is realistic.

With the right encouragement, chefs will gladly give any extra work needed - we are all human.

MARY RUMSEY

Rumsey's Handmade Chocolates,

Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire.

Washing profits down the drain

Thank you for your survey on dishwashing machines (23 February), which confirmed our opinion that, above all, caterers want "clean dishes at a reasonable cost".

We rarely find a dishwashing machine that is incapable of giving a good result. But what we do find are machines that give poor results because of poor operating procedures, insufficient water supplies, hard water supplies, badly fitted or inappropriate detergent equipment and incorrect detergent or rinse-aid concentrations.

In a larger catering operation, the dishwasher is probably the most expensive piece of equipment in the kitchen and often the most neglected.

It is usually used by the lowest paid members of the kitchen staff who are often very conscientious but need constant supervision, motivation and training.

Because the wash-up is frequently considered as "back of house" it is often ignored until there is a problem. The dishwash area can consume large amounts of your crockery (through breakages), energy, detergents and your maintenance budget. Staff training and good management procedures can stop these costs running away with your profits.

DAVID COPEMAN

Director,

Commercial Dishwashing Systems,

East Barnet, Hertfordshire.

Make booking discounts direct

It is time that someone blew the gaffe on booking agents masquerading as part of the hotel industry's marketing budget, as claimed by Mark Harris in his recent letter (23 February).

In the main, marketing is aimed at new business. One does not have to invest in an advertisement every time the same customer stays.

Booking agency commissions are in essence a tax on turnover. At the moment this tax is paid for by the industry but ultimately, as always, the customer is the only source.

And no, Mr Harris, booking agents do not expand the industry. They just separate us from our customers and our income.

By giving a direct booking discount to our direct customers we can cease discrimination against our loyal customers who are fed up with subsidising the agents.

JOHN JENKINSON

Director,

The Evesham Hotel,

Evesham, Worcestershire.