29 July 2010

AAA Rating for IPC Dining Hall and Bar

By Moira Blake, photos by Emu Izaki

Manager, Lufi Withers, (3rd from right) with some of her staff proudly holding the AAA Certificate. Left to right, front: Phy Sun, Chouk Porn, Pele Etuale, Kenzo Yamada; back: Stuart Reid, Paul O’Dea.

Students and staff at IPC can be assured that they are in safe territory when eating in the Dining Hall or purchasing food or drinks from the IPC bar. The facility has just been awarded a Triple A Certificate by the Palmerston North City Council after the annual grading of food related premises. The triple A rating is new this year and to qualify for it “the premise must have been trading with the same owner, in the same location and to have been rated as an “A” for three consecutive years” (from the Council’s letter advising the Dining Room Staff of their success). Not only does our facility qualify according to these criteria, but it was in fact one of only 6% of Palmerston North food related premises to qualify for an “A” rating when the City Council’s grading system started in the 2006/07 year and has maintained this ever since.

Lufi Withers, Manager of the Dining Room and Bar, explained that inspections are done randomly by Council staff and there is no warning of when they are coming, as what they are looking for is consistent high standards of hygiene. To ensure that these standards are achieved, Lufi and her staff maintain records of all aspects of hygiene, including the temperature of the food storage facilities, when cleaning is done, and maintenance issues from mouse traps to floor coverings and ventilation . In addition, every staff member holds an NZQA Food Handling Certificate.

The staff are justly proud of their new AAA Certificate, as you can see from their smiles. It is currently away being framed, but their latest A grade Licence is on display just behind the serving counter in the Dining Room.

The latest A Grade Licence proudly on display.	Some more of the Dining Room staff who helped earn the AAA Certificate.

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