Dishing it out

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HACCP and quality audits takes place on a regular basis.

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The catering and culinary facility delievers 27,400 meals a day.

Contract catering is still an oligopoly in the UAE, with three main companies dominating the sector - Compass, Abela & Co and Intercat. Each one services many different sectors and each has a considerable market share. However, with competition hotting up and demand for catering increasing, contract catering sets to be a lucrative business in the Middle East.

But what should FMs look out for when tasked with finding a catering company to suit their needs and requirements?

The following pages gives facilities management professionals as insight into the catering world, including one of technologically driven best practice from the new Emirates Flight Catering facility.

An ongoing argument within catering seems to be whether or not it's important for a company to be certified by Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP).

Abela & Co was the first catering company to achieve HACCP certification, however, Emirates Flight Catering follows the principles but is not certified.

FMs should look out for a company that adheres to some kind of international standard, but HACCP is not necessarily it. Both Abela & Co and Emirates Flight Catering use The Royal Environmental Health Institute of Scotland for their food safety and hygiene training.

All companies interviewed advised that FMs should arrange a site visit to inspect the catering company and its operations before starting the tender process. Questions to think about include: Are you made to wash your hands and wear protective clothing before entering the kitchen? How is the food brought into the company? Are suppliers checked? What training is given to employees? How is temperature monitored?

"It depends what industry you're in and what standard you want to apply. If you're going to have a tender for a catering contract, you have to first of all decide what your specifications are going to be, what do you want, what should the contract achieve?" says Grant Douglas, hygiene & safety, Emirates Flight Catering.

There are arguments for and against protective clothing.

For example, some companies prefer to use facemasks to stop people from breathing on the food and others think it can create potential problems.

"There are two school of thoughts there. Is it really necessary? It's a sensitive area but if people wear a facemask then all the moisture and bacteria is held around the mouth area and if they feel any discomfort and touch their mouth, it may exacerbate the problem rather than assisting in it. In terms of food safety, I don't think it's necessary," claims Douglas.

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