Apart from being able to serve delicious food to people, a chef’s main duty is to make sure that the environment that he is cooking in is safe for all, not just himself. There are of course many safety measures that can be taken by the chefs to ensure that all goes well in the kitchen with no accidents occurring, however, one extremely important safety measure that many tend to forget is the cleanliness of the kitchen.
Prioritising the cleanliness of the kitchen is something that all chefs must keep in mind. It’s not just the food you cook that has to be sanitary, but also the area in which you work. In case you’re having trouble figuring it out, here are some places that you should always keep clean to ensure that your food is sanitary and safe to consume.
Stovetop
One of the easiest surfaces to clean is your stovetop. With food pouring over the pans and oil gushing all over, it’s no surprise that your stovetop has to be cleaned thoroughly every now and then. Cleaning oil spills and stains can be challenging; therefore, one option to lessen your effort is to store your cooking oil in non-drip oil bottles. You can lessen the likelihood of your oil spilling out and dirtying your stovetop this way.
Kitchen Sink
The kitchen sink is frequently the location we often neglect. We normally just pour all our cooking gadgets and plates into the sink and leave them be for quite a bit. And, while I understand this because I, too, must clean the dishes, This is something we must avoid at all costs. Allowing unclean dishes to accumulate will only make cleaning more difficult once the food stains have dried. It’s possible that you didn’t clean it thoroughly, resulting in contaminated and unhygienic dishes.
Trash Can
The presence of a garbage can in the kitchen is a regular occurrence. Almost always, bits and pieces of food waste, as well as leftover food, are placed in the trash can. As a result, failing to dispose of trash on a daily basis will not only cause the area to stink but will also stimulate the spread of bacteria. Another reminder: in addition to emptying the trash can on a regular basis, it is also necessary to keep the garbage can clean. Once a month, wash the garbage can to keep it sanitary and decrease bacterial growth.
Dish Rack
The dish rack is also another place that should be kept clean. Not only is it a place to try your clean dishes, but any dirt on the dish rack could also stain the plates dirty. Another thing you must remember to do is to empty the water from the bottom tray. This is to prevent pests like mosquitoes from breeding.
Counters
Finally, once all meal prep and cooking is done, you should always wipe down your kitchen counters to clear out food stains and leftover scraps. Remember to store back food that was not used in your containers for refrigerator storage. To keep things easily accessible and convenient, store your food in a microwavable lunch box. This is to make things easier when you need to be on the go.
