What is one of the most important aspects of operating a food business? To be very blunt, it is most probably making sure you do not make your customers very ill (or worse) with your food. It’s quite a responsibility. It’s also to ensure that for your staff and for your customers you are operating in a clean and hygienic environment. What amazed me when I first opened Kaffeine was that there is no legal requirement for staff to have food safety training, it is merely a ‘recommendation’. Of course it is quite highly recommended, and you will get marked down quickly if none of your staff are trained, but it is not a legal requirement.
On our very first inspection by Westminster in 2009, we did not receive a very good score, as there were a few processes and practices we did not have in place. We worked very hard over the next year, even inviting the Westminster back for a visit and for advice and on our second unplanned visit, moved up to 4 stars.