It’s no kept secret that at I Cook You Serve we’re not chefs but cooks- and we have qualifications to support us. But what qualifications do we actually have? What do they mean?
Level 3 Food Safety and Hygiene for Catering
The first qualification is the Level 3 Food Safety and Hygiene for Catering certificate which helps us stay safe in the kitchen- keeping both us and you safe too. The Food Safety and Hygiene for Catering only goes up to a level 3, so Liz has the highest certificate that you can get.
The Level 3 Food Safety and Hygiene for Catering course teaches us the roles of responsibility when it comes to food. There’s a lot to know such as laws, contamination and control in the kitchen.
This is of course relevant to what we do- as we always keep in mind the clients reheat, so we need to know how to send out food that is still safe. By knowing about temperature control, food deliveries and the likes, you can be assured that your meals will always be safe from start to finish, from kitchen to doorstep, keeping our clients healthy and happy.
Food Allergy Awareness
Secondly we have our Food Allergy Awareness certificates, meaning that we are aware of the main allergens- this ensures we are always aware of any allergens in our cooking making sure we know what to do to keep you safe. In addition to that, we also know how to work with intolerances such as gluten and lactose, so we’re always happy to chat about any restrictions you may have.
Alongside this, we’re also trained in how to look out for an allergic reaction- anaphylactic shock. Within the training, we’re taught how to spot the reaction, the best way to act and also how to avoid this happening.
As a business there’s a few things we do in order to keep everyone safe such as allergen stickers for our events like buffets or afternoon teas. Not all catering companies will label their food items so this is something we take the time to do. When you’re attending one of our buffets or afternoon teas you’ll see that there are labels for each food item with an allergen sticker on the back. We do this even if we know that there are no clients with allergens- people like to know what they’re eating and we want to keep everyone safe.
In addition to this, knowing all about allergens and how to handle them also means we can offer our services to anyone with an allergen. We often have clients come to us with various different allergens and each one is handled with the appropriate care. Sometimes it’s as simple as cooking a meal without a certain ingredient such as onion and other times it can be an intolerance that needs its own workspace, such as gluten. We will always do our best to accommodate our clients where possible!
Nutritional therapy.
Shannon and Liz are also qualified in nutritional therapy- did you know that? Nutritional therapy is great as we get to help our clients with their nutritional needs whilst also aiding the cooking side of things- knowing exactly what is going in, and the health benefits of doing so!
A nutritional therapist often will work with a healthy client in order to prevent disease, or a sick client to help minimise symptoms too. Nutritional therapy recognises that everybody is unique and each person will need something different for their bodies. It’s also important to recognise whether someone’s diet is good for their health or not- in which case a personalised programme can be made for our clients.
We also wanted the science behind WHY we should use fresh and colourful ingredients – something we were already doing. The course gave us the science behind how to eat well whilst also recognising that everyone has different needs. We use the general nutritional advice in our meals such as – veg, turmeric, flax seeds and the more personalised nutritional information for our 1-2-1 clients or presentations.
Alongside this, Shannon also brings her expertise in veganism to the table- and with a well rounded amount of knowledge in the kitchen, we’re able to cater for just about anyone regardless of their needs.
Safeguarding Vulnerable Adults level 2
Within our line of work, we’re often cooking for and being around vulnerable adults, whether it’s for the Fill Your Fridge, buffets or afternoon teas, so a Safeguarding Vulnerable Adults course seemed like the obvious option.
Within the course we’re taught about different legislations, mental capacity, disclosures and how to respond, as well as various different topics on how to keep vulnerable adults safe. Whilst this doesn’t directly link with food or the likes, this certificate matters when it comes to our clients.
Many of our clients are elderly or have elderly loved ones so it’s important that we are able to keep them, our clients, safe too.
It’s always great to have a chat with our clients- so if you have any dietary requirements and would like to chat with us about your meals, sign up for our newsletter here https://bit.ly/icys-newsletter or call Liz on 07504 558 994 and we’ll be happy to help where we can.
Alternatively, you can visit our website for all of the latest info on our menu and subscription service. https://icookyouserve.co.uk/product/fill-your-fridge-subscription/
Warmest Wishes,
Liz Murphy
