New CA Food Safety Law Requires Chefs, Bartenders to Wear Gloves
The state has rolled out a new 6-12 month rule that requires those in food preparation to wear gloves
With the New Year came new food safety regulations for restaurants in California. A new food safety regulation under the California Retail Food Code in California mandates that those in food preparation must wear gloves when making food—from a sushi chef making a roll to a bartender putting a fruit garnish on a drink. The regulation applies to ready-to-eat foods that aren’t heated up or cooked before being served, such as fruit, sushi, bread, and salad, according to the LA Times.
The law will undergo a “soft rollout” according to the LA Times, which means that when inspections are done, restaurants whose workers aren’t wearing gloves will receive a warning instead of a fine or point deduction. Many chefs are displeased with the new regulation, believing it will compromise the quality of fine dining when it comes to plating food or doing intricate tasks, such as rolling sushi.
In addition to chefs being required to wear gloves when touching ready-to-eat foods, bartenders or servers who put bread in a basket or a lemon slice on a glass will have to do so with gloves on. The new regulation’s main goal is to prevent the spread of foodborne illness.