Loading Docks Are Not Kitchens

Cooking in an outdoor oven set up on makeshift tables behind a restaurant is against health codes nearly everywhere—and perhaps strains common sense, as well. Last month, a caterer working at the Hyatt Regency in Santa Clara, Calif., received an official reminder of how and where to use proper cooking equipment.

State law requires that a commercial operation must cook food in a protected area. The Mercury News reported that the caterer baked the flat naan bread in a charcoal Tandoor oven which, for fire-safety reasons, had to be used outside of the kitchen. So far, so good. But setting up the oven on makeshift tables, on a loading dock, in an environment lacking an immediate hand-washing station crossed the line.

A hotel visitor who formerly worked in restaurant management alerted the Santa Clara County Dept. of Environmental Health-Consumer Protection. While neither the hotel nor the caterer was cited, the hotel’s general manager told the newspaper that caterers will be asked to cook off-site in the future.

RELATED CONTENT

Untitled design 2022 07 13T114823.757

Patience Pays Off for a Reach-In Repair

RSI’s Mark Montgomery's persistence and patience is key in repairing an operator's failing reach-in cooler.

Henny Penny

Oil’s Sweet Spot: How to Get There and Maintain It

Like many in the world of foodservice, you may assume that cooking oil performance is at its peak when you first start using it — but did you know there...

- Advertisement -

- Advertisement -

- Advertisement -

TRENDING NOW

- Advertisement -

- Advertisement -

- Advertisement -