Now we know something about the kitchen.

The next question is:

Where are we today from the Food Safety point of view?

Again, we don't want to begin with marks.

No 72%.

No A Grade.

No red, amber and green everywhere.

No pass or fail.

We first want a starting picture.

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3.1 We look at behavior, not merely knowledge

A worker may know that raw and cooked food should be separated.

But what happens during dinner rush?

A Senior may know that food needs proper identification.

But what happens when three people are simultaneously putting things into the refrigerator at closing?

The Head Chef may have given perfectly correct instructions about retained food.

But what actually happens on his weekly off?

That gap between:

I know

and

I do

is very important to us.

Because our initiative is about Behaviour Change.

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3.2 THE FIVE QUESTIONS HELP US LOOK

We already have a very simple way of thinking about Food Safety.

Five Questions.

3.2 1. DO I KNOW WHY THIS FOOD IS HERE AND WHAT ITS STORY IS?

What is this?

When was it prepared?

Who prepared it?

Why are we retaining it?

Can it still be used?

When?

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3.2.2. IS THIS FOOD BEING KEPT SAFELY?

Right container?

Right place?

Right temperature?

Covered?

Protected?

Enough refrigerator space?

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3.2.3. CAN ANYTHING AROUND THIS FOOD MAKE IT UNSAFE?

Raw food nearby?

Dirty hands?

Dirty surface?

Water dripping?

Pest activity?

Wrong utensil?

Something falling into it?

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3.2.4. IS THERE ANYTHING GOING WRONG AROUND ME THAT COULD BECOME A BIGGER PROBLEM?

A refrigerator does not feel cold enough.

A drain is beginning to choke.

Flies have suddenly appeared.

A container is leaking.

Something smells different.

A worker is unwell.

None of these may yet be a crisis.

But somebody needs to notice.

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3.2 5. HAVE I CLOSED THE LOOP AND LEFT A SAFE KITCHEN FOR THE NEXT PERSON?

Did I put it back?

Did I cover it?

Did I label it?

Did I tell somebody?

Did I clean what needed cleaning?

Did I record something important?

Will the person coming after me know what happened?

These questions become our observation lens.

We don't need to stand beside workers asking all five questions repeatedly.

We simply begin seeing their work through these questions.

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3.3 THREE VERY DIFFERENT THINGS CAN LOOK LIKE THE SAME MISTAKE

This is where observation becomes interesting.

Suppose we see an unlabelled container.

It could mean:

Situation A

Someone simply forgot once.

Situation B

The same worker frequently forgets.

Situation C

Nobody labels such containers because everyone believes:

"We all know what is inside."

These require three very different responses.

The first may need nothing more than a reminder.

The second may need a habit change.

The third may require changing a kitchen norm.

That is why one photograph of one unlabelled container does not tell us enough.

We want to understand the story behind what we see.

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3.4 We will also record what is going right

Suppose every time chicken is received, one particular worker automatically clears a separate area before opening the crates.

That is worth noticing.

Suppose the evening Senior checks retained food every night without anybody reminding him.

That is worth noticing.

Suppose junior workers immediately tell their Senior whenever a refrigerator feels warmer than usual.

That is excellent behaviour.

The Diagnostic should find good habits worth spreading, not only weak habits worth correcting.

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3.5 How much time will this take?

Usually two or three working days of purposeful observation.

These may overlap with the first Component.

We would prefer to see more than one service period and, where possible, more than one shift.

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3.6 What will you have in your hand?

WHERE ARE WE TODAY?

Food Safety Observation Note

It will broadly tell you:

What appears to be working well.

What occasionally needs attention.

What appears repeatedly.

What may have become normal practice without anybody questioning it.

What, if anything, needs immediate attention.

This becomes our starting point.

Later, if we work together on Behaviour Change, we can come back to this document and ask:

Has anything actually changed?