Whenever we address food safety, we always talk about enforcing existing laws to ensure that our beloved Bengali restaurants comply with food standards. All eatery owners have a legal obligation to ensure that their food is safe for their consumers; what about social responsibility? Shouldn’t restaurant owners take accountability for the social impact of their food too?
Here’s some food for thought, someone has opened a café. What’s their first thought? Any guesses? Will this be a profitable investment? Of course, there is nothing wrong with that as at the end of the day eating places are business and businesses need to make a decent profit. However, a problem arises when lucrative owners don’t stop to consider their consumers who loyally buy food, trusting that it will cause them no harm.
We all know that selling underhanded food products is not an outstanding example of human morality. In some places, social considerations have been indoctrinated into how food places operate. Recently I had a pleasing experience at a food event in Cambridge. Something in particular that stood out to me was the superb bin facility and abundant provision of tissues. Compared to this experience, a latter family outing later on in London was rather dismal. Specializing in sub-continental street food and run by those of similar nature, business was bustling as people waited in long queues to taste the authentic flavours of home. Whilst these food vendors are popular, simple considerations such as bin facilities and tissue provision were inadequate.
Whether we comply with social and legal requirements is up to your mindset, after all, it is your business! A quick tip: it is much easier (and cheaper) to start a restaurant that maintains good practices rather than integrating practices later. And yes, it is worth upholding to legal regulation; fines are not worth it.
Things that you might want to consider
Social Considerations:
- Proper staff facilities
- Proper customer facilities
- Accessible dining area
Legal Considerations:
- Suitable food storage facilities
- Segregations of cooked, semi-cooked or raw food
- Proper hygiene practices
