Kitchen Confidential

Chef Sabyasachi Gorai of Olive Bar and Kitchen,that has branches in Mumbai and Delhi,believes that while earlier,there really wasn’t much consciousness about hygiene and food safety in the country,things are changing. “One of my first jobs was in Goa and I had introduced idlis on the menu. One day,while I was standing outside the kitchen,one of the waiters passed by carrying an idli platter. I knew something was wrong but it took me a few seconds to process what. Then I realised that the words ‘Lal Mahal Basmati Rice’ typed in red ink were visible on the idlis. Apparently,the chef had run out of the sheets used to cover the idlis when they were being steamed,so he used the rice sack. I think we’ve come a long way since then,” he recalls with a wide smile.

Most five-star chefs agree that the biggest challenge is to enforce hygiene practices into the every day work culture of people involved in food service — cooks,waiters and cleaners. These hotels,as a standard practice,follow a strict HACCP (Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points) regime,which is a seven-step programme used to avoid any contamination of ingredients. For instance,Chef Manisha Bhasin,Senior Executive Chef at the ITC Maurya,Delhi,says,“We are a fully-HACCP certified hotel and are rigorous in maintaining standards.”

“There is a quality assurance and hygiene maintainence team to keep us in check with regular audits and a body of rules and regulations we must follow for purchasing raw materials,shelf life of products,kitchen cleanliness and personal hygiene of the staff,” says Arun Kumar,Cuisine and Brand Head at Zambar,which has two restaurants in Delhi and Pune. The seafood speciality restaurant orders live lobsters and crabs from Kochi,Tamil Nadu and Gujarat and keeps them alive till they are ready to be used in the kitchen.

Mumbai’s fine dining restaurant Amadeus also subscribes to HACCP,though owner Farrokh Khambata admits it isn’t easy for standalone restaurants to implement them. “A large kitchen is a must,but it is rare for Mumbai. We are lucky in that aspect,” he says,citing procedures for kitchens and freezers to be cleaned — “with disinfectant,not just soap”— and storage stock to be handled. “Using purified water is important too,especially when cooking with raw vegetables.”

Besides,some chains such as the Taj that has a branch in Pune too,have switched to the ISO:22000 certification — a much more comprehensive standardisation system. A litany of steps have to be followed,including colour-coded chopping boards for different products,procedures for storage of ingredients,periodic cleaning of all food-service related areas and standards for personal hygiene.

Chef Mousim Sidana,who manages the Diva Piccola cafe in Hauz Khas Village,says training the staff to be conscious about hygiene is vital for a restaurant’s success. “We do a training exercise when someone new joins in — whether as a chef or a server — to update them about hygiene practices in the kitchen as well as expected personal grooming standards.”

“We have been certified by FSMS,which is a food security monitoring system by the World Food Programme. The objective of implementing the FSMS standard helps us in numerous ways. It enhances food safety and reduces the risk of food-borne diseases,the scope covers all the major operations of the food chain from farm to fork,” says Hemant Mehta,executive assistant manager,Hyatt Regency Pune. “Maintaining an efficient quality control procedure provides greater confidence to customers as well as reduces production costs due to reduced wastage,” he adds

The question that lurks despite these “perfect answers on perfect hygiene” is that if everyone is so conscientious about food contamination,why does food poisoning continue to be an ongoing side effect of eating out? A good way to ensure that you are eating a meal that is not going to make you sick is to be extra vigilant while choosing the place and the food. Especially in this “open season”.

(with inputs from Anjali Jhangiani and Afsha Khan)

On The Side

* Leave out green or red chutneys with swimmy water,pickled onions,cut salads if you are eating out this season. They are easily parasitic.

* Avoid water-based street foods such as gol gappas and chaats. Water contamination is usually faster and higher than food contamination.

* Make sure that utensils,glasses,cutlery at small or roadside eateries are wiped dry before you eat in them. Wet crockery and cutlery is a breeding ground for the Hepatitis virus. Insist on paper cups and disposable plates and spoons.

* If you can spend a bit more,invest in bottled mineral water.