Building a Three-week Cycle That Complies
I remember standing in a school kitchen three years ago, watching a frantic prep cook try to cross-reference a handwritten…
Author: Ottoline Achebe-Kirkwood
Almost every serious food safety incident I have investigated was preventable by something small and boring that nobody had time for. I write about the controls that actually reduce risk — allergen communication, temperature discipline, cleaning that follows a sequence — and I am honest that a kitchen serving four hundred meals on limited staffing cannot do everything. Tell me what you can realistically sustain, and I will tell you where to put it.
The School Food Standards, Practically Applied
I remember standing in a kitchen back in 2014, watching a frantic midday service where the steam from a massive…
The Complete Guide to Cleaning and Sanitising
I’ve spent sixteen years walking into kitchens where the staff are staring at a stack of shiny, expensive manuals, looking…
Twenty Seconds and a Dedicated Basin
I remember standing in a school kitchen three years ago, the midday rush hitting like a tidal wave, watching a…
Legionella Risk in Little-used Outlets
I remember standing in a primary school kitchen three years ago, watching a frantic midday service, when I noticed the…
Planning Production Backwards From Service
I remember standing in a secondary school kitchen three years ago, the air thick with the smell of burnt gravy…
Testing Portable Appliances in a Wet Room
I’ve spent sixteen years walking into kitchens where the steam is thick enough to chew, and if there is one…
Portion Sizes by Age Band
I’ve spent more time standing in the steam of school kitchens than I have in my own living room, and…
Colour Coding Only Works if Everyone Follows It
I remember standing in a school kitchen during a Tuesday lunch rush, the air thick with steam and the frantic…
A Meal Debt Policy That Does Not Shame Children
I remember standing in a small secondary school kitchen three years ago, watching a catering manager stare at a spreadsheet…