News
Next Exam Planned for
March 31The next credentialing exam will be held Saturday, March 31, 2012 at 50 different sites. The application postmark deadline for the March test is January 16. Learn more about CDM, CFPP certification and download an exam application from www.DMAonline.org!
Regional Meeting (13 CE)
March 22-23, 2012
Toledo, Ohio
June 28 - June 30, 2012
San Diego, CA
2012 Annual Meeting & Expo (23 CE)
June 30 - July 3, 2012
San Diego, CA
Catering Licensing Regulations for Ohio - Author: Tim Bauman Board Member Wood County Licensing Committee
A food service
caterer is one which has approval to transport and serve, store,
prepare, and return utensils/equipment to the main food service
commissary. Please note that where it says transport and serve
rather than just transport. Health Departments view a food service
caterer as more than a simple delivery person. If you are having
your food picked up or are providing only delivery of food, you are
not a caterer. However, if you are involved in any transport and
service off premises or the storage off premises for preparation, or
the returning of utensils and equipment back to the central
commissary, then you are a food service caterer.
In order to obtain approval from your Health Department as an
off-premises food service caterer, you will need to:
1. Submit in writing details of the proposed transportation and
service, preparation, etc.
2. Include a sample menu so that they are aware of the types of
foods which you will be catering.
3. The numbers of people that are a maximum you will be serving.
This could conceivably vary with the complexity of the menu. For
example, one might have the ability to serve a cold-cut buffet with
salads to 150; however only has the ability to serve hot roast beef,
potatoes and all the trimmings to only 50.
4. A detailed listing of all equipment that will be utilized for
transportation, storage, and serving of food off-premises. Many
times they will need details such as restaurant data sheets for
specific pieces of equipment such as refrigeration units, etc.
5. They will also need to know an approximate distance as in the
maximum that you will be catering from your central commissary. The
reason this information is useful in that many times they must make
a judgment as to the types of hot food or cold food holding units
that you may use. The types of units could vary greatly with the
distances and amount of time that such units will necessarily have
to maintain proper temperatures. I have to consider this in my Meals
on Wheels operation.
The application for a food service caterer could in some cases
increase your license fee. Hospitals are by nature class 4
operations. The approval to cater is separate. The difference in the
license is that as a caterer, you have a class 4 with catering. When
you apply for the license you need to add in catering and jump
through the hoops I mentioned above. If you have a class 1 or class
2 operation doing the catering, then that requires upgrading to a
class 4.
More stuff to give you a head ache: Licenses are also subject to how
you bill or retrieve costs. For example; if you bill at the
location, the individuals on a per plate basis as opposed to one
gross bill sent to the organization, you need a license. If you
deliver and the customer uses their own tableware and equipment as
part of the service then they would be required to have a license.
They have sanitation responsibilities. Note that in Ohio/Wood County
you are only allowed to have ten temporary licenses a year till you
are required to get a permanent license. Also when you serve or have
workers at a location, you need to have a copy of your license on
display/available. What I am outlining here is Ohio and Wood County
regulations and the local board I am on makes customizations as we
need them. Each state is allowed to do things a little differently.
In the end, the best advice is to call the sanitarian assigned to
your facility and ask key questions to assure you are in compliance.
To not comply if legal action arises subjects you to a much more
vulnerable situation if the prosecution shows you were not properly
licensed.
The Certifying Board for Dietary Managers (CBDM) voted recently to
change its policy regarding food/trade show CE Hours.
Effective June 1, 2011, the maximum number of CE hours granted for
attending these shows is three per year.
