Covering a Chef at Short Notice
I remember standing in a school kitchen three years ago, the air thick with the smell of burnt toast and…
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.
Spill Response Within Sixty Seconds
I’ve stood in enough school kitchens during a Friday lunch rush to know that a shiny, expensive “safety training seminar”…
Substituting Without Losing Nutrition
I remember standing in a school kitchen three years ago, watching a frantic midday service where the “allergy-safe” pasta was…
What an Inspector Actually Looks at
I’ve walked into enough school kitchens to know that the moment I step through the door, the atmosphere changes. I…
The Complete Guide to Packed Lunch Policy
I remember standing in a primary school dining hall three years ago, watching a frantic midday supervisor try to manage…
The Complete Guide to Breakfast Clubs
I’ve sat in enough drafty school staff rooms to know that when people talk about a “complete guide to breakfast…
Lifting Stock Pots and Delivery Crates
I once walked into a school kitchen during the mid-morning rush, the air thick with the smell of toasted bread…
The Defence That Only Exists on Paper
I remember standing in a school kitchen three years ago, the air thick with the smell of overboiled pasta and…
Recognising Hunger Without Embarrassing Anyone
I remember standing in a secondary school kitchen three years ago, the steam from a massive vat of pasta hitting…
Building a Rota That Survives Absence
I’ve sat in too many cramped school kitchens during a mid-morning rush to believe the nonsense that you need a…