Head gear and ground beef

I don't know if sanitation and safety rules are a federal or local government issue but here are my questions:

I live in North Carolina. When I started at the restaurant, I was told that head gear, be it a ball cap, toque, or hair net, was encouraged by the health inspectors but is not mandatory. Is this something that varies from state to state or city to city? I thought head gear was mandatory.

Also, we had a customer order a burger medium rare. Now, I love all kinds of meat rare to medium rare, depending on what it is, but will not touch ground beef unless it is at least medium well. According to the regulations I read online, ground beef must be cooked to at least 155 degrees F. According to the sous chef, it can be served at whatever temp the customer wants if they ask for it, but the wait staff cannot offer it that way. Does anyone have any ideas on these questions? I would love to know because I just don't believe ground beef should be served at those temps and no use of head gear is unsanitary as well.

Thanks.

[lynne]

Welcome to ChefTalk Chef 1703! Where are you in NC? I claim Chapel Hill, Greensboro and for a while, Charlotte.

Ground Beef - NC is (unless it's been changed recently) one of the few states where you could still get a burger less than medium well. A real change from DC and MD! I have to say it depends on where your meat is coming from and how well you know that particular kitchen.

Head gear - I know while I was working in Charlotte - that it was up to a one point deduction (up to the individual inspector)if crew was not wearing headgear, but that it was in theory, an "OK" admission - if the people working had short hear or, if it was long, the hair had to be pulled back into a ponytail and tucked down the shirt collar. I know at one location I wore a ball cap and the other it didn't matter (Afterall - short hair doesn't fall out as much as long- yeah right!.

Anyways-

Happy Cooking,

Lynne

[This message has been edited by lynne (edited 12-10-2000).]

Thanks for the input, Lynne.

I am in Winston-Salem. Are you still in NC?

[lynne]

Nope, Texas -- it's a whole new world out here and I love it!

Lucky you. I like it here but I would like to move on before long. Not sure to what area, though. Doesn't matter because the wife is pretty happy here and that counts for a lot.

Do you own a restaurant?

[lynne]

A Bed & Breakfast; starting to get into catering.

[Greg]

When were you in Charlotte, Lynne? I lived there from '83-'95 and, at least in Mecklenburg county, burgers had to be cooked to 155 since the early '90's. Unless, of course, you knew the cook; it made for a speakeasy kind of environment, but with ground beef instead of liqour!

In AZ it is not mandatory one wear something on ones head. It is, however, recommended. It is mandated in my kitchen. (Please note that one MUST get a "food handlers" permit.)
As for a burger any other way but done? Well, here's one I love: If one orders a burger any other way but well done, one must sign a waiver stating one ordered it that way and accepts all liabilites that one may incur.

How does one serve steak tartare well done?

[chefjohnpaul]

Originally posted by Crudeau:
How does one serve steak tartare well done?

By preparing it correctly!

Well done, Chefjohnpaul.

Ciao Chef1703,

Most states that I have been in require chicken and pork cooked to temprature, but according to health codes, beef can be by customer request, there is however a few states that require beef to be cooked to temp.

[coolJ]

I don't know much about U.S. food regulations, but in Canada we have a program which is called FoodSafe and every restaurant manager/owner is required to have it, also every student in culinary schools has to have it as well. Anyway one thing about foodsafe, ground beef has to be cooked to 160F (well done). but mind you that's only when your serving it to the public, at home you don't have to apply the rules. Also not related to foodsafe, ther is no problem with steak tartare, because it doesn't go through a grinder, the reason ground beef has to be cooked well is because of the processing, steak tartare is a cut from the tenderloin "minced" with a french knife.

[ 02-18-2001: Message edited by: coolJ ]

[Pete]

In Chicago, the health codes are pretty strict, all meats and seafood have a doneness degree to which they are suppose to be cooked. Restaurants can get around this by posting a sign, stating that there are certain risk factors to eating undercooked or raw meats. This helps to lighten the liability of restaurants but does not free them from all liability. Next Chicago is planning that all restaurants institute a written HACCP program. Supposedly, this will go into effect in the next year or two. My last health inspection, I got busted for making creme fraiche. The cream was out at room temp. to sour and the health inspector wanted me to throw it out. Luckily I had a recipe, in a cookbook, showing that that is how it is made and she let me off. Good thing, the last thing I wanted to do is throw away 1 1/2 gal. of cream.

I'm all for food safety and all but, really....
If the rules that health departments around the US apply were really grounded in the real world, half of Europe -- at least, not to mention the rest of the world -- would be dead, dead, dead by now. I've never gotten sick from room temp cheese but in the US, you have to throw it out. Actually cold cheese is a worse travesty. I've bought food from street vendors and public markets and right from the fisherman or farmer. I have enough common sense to know when something is baaaaad.
I AM careful where I buy my ground meats and I do watch the sanitation of slicing machines but I think we really overdo it. Statistically, there are a lot of things that will kill me before I die from steak tartare, raw oysters or fresh mayonnaise. This silly overregulation is one of the reasons I eat more at home than out. Sorry to all you folks who have to make a living at restaurants. Nothing personal but those silly regs destroy so very much of the pleasure of food.
I love rare to medium rare burgers and won't eat at any place that can't/won't do that.
Gotta admit though that I hate hair hanging over the food (or worse still, IN it) so I think the hat rule is a good one. But what abouty beards?
The worst health hazard are those long artificial nails. ICK, ICK, ICK. The underside is rough and holds so much gradoux and bacteria. Gloves won't work -- don't fit or they tear. I'd outlaw them for food service workers if I were queen!