The Government

[Pete]

Here is a discussion that I hope will bring a lot of heated debate to this site. What is your feeling on the government regulation of the restaurant industry? Are they really out for the public's safety or are these people just trying to justify their jobs? Have they gone overboard with their regulations? Personally, I think state governments need to give it a rest. In New Jersey (I dont know if the law was repealled yet) restaurants couldnt serve sunnyside up eggs. Many places will no longer sell MR hamburgers because if someone gets sick from it the restaurant is liable in the states eyes. In the city of chicago now Streets and Sanitation officals now have the right to close a restaurant if they see a violation. What are these people's training and qualifications? In many states you are held liable if you serve foods cooked under the recommended temps (in most cases at least MW) and you do not post a warning to the hazards of undercooked food. These are just a few of the laws and regulations heaped upon restaurants. As a consumer I want my food as I like it not as some government lawmaker tells me I must have it, which means my burgers and steaks rare, my oysters raw, my pork MR-M, and my eggs soft-poached. Can you tell- I've just been through Chicagos Sanitation Certification? Any comments?

I agree with you, however, someone has to protect us from ourselves. Unfortunately, there aren't enough people with pride, integrity and just CLEAN common sense... You know as well as I do that if you know your products... and you practice good sanitation, a rare steak, or soft poached eggs will not hurt you. Know your purveyors, smell and taste EVERYTHING and keep the place clean. They wont close you down if you serve something rare.... Unless someone gets sick or someone thinks the place is dirty. Make sure your dishwashers understand the necessity of washing their hands between dirty plates being loaded and clean ones unloaded... and that they know to wash their hands after using the restroom.. I think that no matter how many signs you have posted... sometimes no one reads them for a myriad of reasons. EDUCATE your staff and don't worry so much.

[ChefRon]

I dunno... in some ways it may be a lack of government regulation that's the problem. The United States is the only industrial country in the world where the beef industry is regulated by the Department of Agriculture and not the Department of Health. Ecoli is a serious issue and can escape detection by the most disciplined and committed chefs.There are simple tests that can be performed at meat packing plants that simply are not in use. The burden now falls upon the end user (you and me) to insure that foods are (over) cooked to insure safety (?). I think the whole thing is backwards. Even grocery stores have warning labels affixed to raw poultry? Why not check for salmonella at the plant rather than affix a "buyer beware" label? We cannot deny that we are polluting our precious world and contaminating our foods with reckless disregard. In Michigan we've been urged to not eat our lake fish more than once per week. Half the time we can't use our beaches in the summer due to ecoli. Excessive regulations are the symptom of a much more serious issue that most of us would rather not face. The sad truth is that we are poisoning ourselves and our posterity. In our litigation-crazed culture, the chef is likely to be sued,long before the packer. These regulations may be your best line of defense in a court of law. What you dislike today may be your salvation tomorrow.

I think that education (like carol said) is perhaps the best way to protect ourselves from ourselves. Take an approved sanitation course (SERV-SAFE) and then have your staff go through it. How about implementing a HACCP program in the kitchens??? If the chef or establishment would ever get sued, you would have a record of your actions on file for proper food handling.
For me, I like to eat my steaks rare, I like sushimi, and I like over-easy eggs, but I am sure as **** not going to get them from a small time mom and pop place where I am certain that the handling and products aren't of high standards.
Visit your food suppliers and even thier suppliers. They like for visitors to come (and if enough people do visit, maybe it will keep them on their toes more) I have visited some meat packers and slaughter houses, they have an inspector there every minute ensuring proper procedures are being taken.
As far as the government goes, they will do what they do best, get into everything they can. And for most reasons, it could be good. I'm glad that the U.S has laws re: foods, look at other governments china, vietnam, india...would you really eat in those countries??? I would not.

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Happy Cooking!!!
Chef Jerome