When we started Chefs On The Run, the Hospitality & Tourism sector was a very different place. Workplaces were certainly a lot less safe, we worked longer hours, the range of ingredients readily available were far fewer and less exotic – and people’s expectations were probably far lower! There was far less regulatory scrutiny, social media and customer ratings didn’t exist (other than critics’ views published in newspapers) and the general public had a far greater preparedness to accept that things sometimes go wrong – despite your best intentions. But those days are gone.

We’re now living in a world where the regulatory requirements on all business operators – including food production and service – are significant, and frequently changing. Changes to pay & conditions are made annually and there is a much higher level of scrutiny on compliance generally – and being able to establish that compliance if something goes wrong, or someone complains.

One of the benefits that has flowed from our extensive work in highly-regulated sectors such as child care, aged care & health, schools and defence installations is that we are acutely aware of both the current, and emerging, regulatory requirements. We know that if the people we send aren’t 100% compliant with all aspects associated with their work environment, our clients are exposed to the same level of risk as we are. And exposing our clients to risk is absolutely not acceptable to Chefs On the Run.

But interestingly enough, while there is a much higher awareness of the risks and requirements in highly-regulated environments, it often appears to us as if our clients in the Hospitality & Tourism sectors are unaware of many of the obligations they have. A good example is that any business that manufactures or serves food is required to have a Food Safety Supervisor on premises while food is being produced and/or served. This is a national requirement and one that we know is frequently not complied with. Every chef we send to a client site is required (by us) to have a Food Safety Supervisor certificate. These last for 5 years and we track expiries to be sure our clients always have the required Food Safety Supervisor on site. It’s part of our promise to our clients.

Another area where we frequently see clients not aware of their obligations is where Working With Children/Blue Card checks are concerned. Even if a business isn’t focused on caring for children, if children are able to come into contact with staff, then staff are required to have a WWCC/Blue Card. These need to be renewed every 5 years. And recently, the requirement to check WWCC/Blue Cards with the State-based Register, and register the people concerned to you as an employer has been added. Once again, we make sure that the people we send are fully compliant.

Other areas where we’re aware that some of our clients are exposed to risk either through their own employment practices, or through the people supplied by agencies, include maximum work hours for students, visa conditions and expiries, immunisation status when requirements are put in place and the combination of reference checking and requiring Police Checks. As with all the other compliance requirements, we make sure that every person we send is both checked and monitored throughout their time with us, has their performance managed consistently & professionally – and also that they are properly paid, superannuated and insured. It is an area where some of our competitors don’t score so highly.

When all is said and done, what everyone running an operation wants is to be able to deliver consistently high quality products and service – and not to find themselves being blind-sided by a fine, charge or legal action they never saw coming. Central to our promise to all of our clients is that we will always ensure that the people we send are high quality, well-suited to your environment & team – and will be fully compliant & suitably skilled. And if you’re ever in doubt about the requirements that apply to your operation, don’t hesitate to contact us – managing both your risk and ours is very much a part of our promise to you!