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Passed ServSafe exam. Yes!
It was surprisingly hard. I thought I was quite familiar with the topic and all the lessons leading up to this point were easily manageable. The set of practice questions was a breeze. Like Chef said, it was probably going to be the electronic registration step in the computer lab that took up the most time. But boy, was everyone wrong. The exam framed every topic in a brand new way and multiple questions dealt with materials not explicitly covered in the lesson plan/study manual. I swear, some questions had more than one correct answer!
Anyway, I’m glad to now have ServSafe certification down my belt. It’s totally going on my resume.
Biggest theme in food safety: maintain control of your food temperature.
Danger zone for bacterial growth: 41°-135°F (5°-57°C)
USDA Recommended Safe Minimal Internal Temperatures (link):
- Steaks & Roasts — 145 °F
- Fish — 145 °F
- Pork — 160 °F
- Ground Beef — 160 °F
- Egg Dishes — 160 °F
- Chicken Breasts — 165 °F
- Whole Poultry — 165 °F
We are required to carry a thermometer in the side pocket of our chef’s coat uniform. A missing thermometer is considered incomplete and unacceptable dress code.
I started using a thermometer with my home cooking but didn’t realize I wasn’t using the instrument correctly. There is a dimple on the stem of the metal that marks the end of the temperature-sensing portion of the tip.
Thermometers must be inserted into foods at least up to the dimple for a proper reading. It totally explains why we had dried, overcooked chicken breast (despite the telaggio cheese stuffing and prosciutto wrapping) for dinner last weekend.
calibrating in ice slurry
As food service professionals, it’s important to know the proper use of a thermometer, keep it calibrated, and constantly monitor food temperature. There is such a thing as bad publicity when it comes to food safety. Unsafe food is worse than untasty food.
The other course I’m taking this block is “Food Safety and Sanitation.” At the end of this block, we are expected to pass the certification exam for ServSafe, which is a required certificate for anyone responsible for the safe handling of food in establishments.
As luck would have it, I’ve spent the last two years working on food safety risk assessments. It’s great to have a chance to complete this course and to expand my food safety perspective to the practice in the field. From microbial pathogens, to food production flow, to management and employee training, this course is designed to deliver a comprehensive package of essential food safety and sanitation know-how. I noticed a display of ServSafe certificates in Whole Foods just the other day. See if you can spot these certificates next time you are out and about. In the United States, consumers expect food to be absolutely safe. Whether or not our Purell addiction is healthy for development of the immune system will remain a debate but to know that there is a whole system in place to actively monitor the safe-handling of food is a comforting thought.
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