PELLA — Central College dining services earned Iowa Restaurant Association Educational Foundation’s Food Safety Seal of Commitment, a voluntary program that requires expanded training of all employees and exemplifies an establishment’s commitment to serving safe food. The Food Safety Seal of Commitment includes a formal application and evaluation process with specific benchmarks for employee food safety training. Restaurants must reapply for the Seal of Commitment annually.
“The Food Safety Seal of Commitment is only awarded to restaurants and food service establishments that have demonstrated food safety training as a top priority for all employees, from cashiers and hostesses to management and kitchen staff,” emphasized May Schaben, vice president of educational programs for the Iowa Restaurant Association. “This program signifies a restaurant’s level of commitment to its customers, as well as its staff.”
Mark Howard, director of dining services at Central College commented, “Customers expect their food to be safe when they come into a restaurant. It’s our obligation to make sure everyone in our establishment understands how to deliver on that expectation. It is part and parcel to delivering a great dining experience.”
Headquartered in Des Moines, the Iowa Restaurant Association is the professional association of the restaurant and retail beverage industries in Iowa. In addition to representing the industries’ legislative concerns, the Iowa Restaurant Association works to educate its members on ways to operate efficiently, safely and profitably and to promote quality and professionalism in the industry.
The Iowa Restaurant Association Educational Foundation promotes awareness of the restaurant and retail beverage industry as a professional career path. The foundation works to strengthen and improve educational offerings, opportunities and services for the advancement of the industry.
