Become ServSafe® Certified at the Food Bank of Delaware

February 23, 2015

0223_ServSafe01By Gwen Guerke, Communications Coordinator

Starting last month, the Food Bank of Delaware began offering ServSafe® food manager training to the general public. It’s the first time the instructor-led program has been provided for students not enrolled in The Culinary School.

The second of 12 classes was held today at the Milford facility.

Offered in both English and Spanish, the ServSafe® Food Protection Manager Certification meets Delaware law’s requirements of demonstration of Food Safety knowledge. The nationally-recognized certification includes training on personal hygiene, cross contamination, time and temperature, receiving and storage and food safety management systems

During their lunch break, students had an opportunity to reflect on the morning’s work.

Cindy, a Dover resident, was impressed by the course content.

“It’s a tremendous amount of information,” she said.

The students spend six hours in class, and then they take a two-hour exam at the end of the day.

Patty, a Georgetown restaurant owner, closed her business for the day so that she and her two co-workers could attend the training.

“Getting the book ahead is very helpful. There is so much information,” she said.

Jeffrey, a kitchen manager at Chick-fil-A in Milford, needs the certification for work.

“This class is great. It gives me the tools I need to enforce food safety in the kitchen. Of course, ChicK-fil-A already has something in place, but this gives me more,” he said.

Rachel, who drove down from Hockessin where she works at the Drip Café, also praised the class.

“It’s part of work, but it’s something I wanted to do, too,” she said.

Instructor Greg Coumatos, a children’s nutrition coordinator at the Food Bank, said the course contains important and useful information, in addition to the food safety component.

“It covers everything, even how to flow your kitchen,” he said.

For those working in the food service industry, recertification is required every five years. The $150 fee includes lunch and the cost of the test. For individuals who already have the current ServSafe Manager text with answer sheet, there is also an option to take just the test for $75.

The next available ServSafe® program will be offered in Spanish at the Milford facility on April 20. For the complete schedule and to sign up online, visit http://www.fbd.org/servsafe/.

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