Four Dining Halls at Syracuse University Passed Kitchen Audits This February
This February, Kitchens with Confidence completed audits for four dining halls at Syracuse University; Ernie Davis, Shaw, Graham and Sadler. The kitchen audit process is a comprehensive list of 41 areas they review and audit with over 200 checkpoints. It aims to evaluate specific policies, procedures and operations in place for the safe preparation of gluten-free foods.
Kitchens with Confidence was officially launched in 2017 as a part of MenuTrinfo and their suite of services. The company has since audited kitchens around America specializing in University settings and specialty food establishments. Syracuse joins a list of prestigious universities who have undergone this audit to ensure the safety of their diners including Cornell University, Mercyhurst University and Carnegie Mellon University to name a few.
The kitchen assessment includes an extensive review of the front of house, back of house and current policies established for food service operations. The audit is based on the recommended best practices for serving diners with special dietary needs. It also provides opportunities for growth for the kitchen and suggests venues for improvement.
Each of Syracuses’ dining halls received enough compliances within the 41 areas for review to warrant an audit passing score. An audit passing score is recognized to include a certification detailing each kitchen has specific dining areas free from gluten. While the list is extensive, it is vital that the establishment undergoing the audit is taking proper measures to ensure safety of their diners.
“It was incredible to see not only the policies and procedures SU had in place, but also the culture cultivated at the university to ensure safe dining for all students. The fact that extreme care is taken to ensure students dining and needing gluten-free food choices are safe is inspiring and a standard all colleges should uphold. We are thrilled to have Syracuse on board as an accredited University!” said Ally Biernat, Manager for Kitchens with Confidence.
Throughout the audit process, several positive observations were noted for Syracuse’s dining halls and the practices already implemented in their dining program. Some of the highlights include a review of all menus to the registered dietician prior to service, appropriate disclaimers and labels utilized and training procedures on a regular basis for all dining staff. Students who have celiac disease and/or a food allergy who are choosing which college to attend can feel safe with Syracuse University based on the measures they take to ensure safety in their kitchens.
Jamie Cyr, Director of Auxiliary Services, explains why he encouraged Food Services to take this extra step. “The number of students who are entering college with food allergies has grown significantly, and parents are concerned when they send their child to college. We believe that this Gluten Free Certification will help ease the anxiety for parents and students. We’re doing more than saying we’re gluten free: we’re verifying it with an independent third party.”
Student safety is vital and Syracuse has taken the measures necessary to ensure each diner with special dietary requests not only has a healthy option, but a safe experience with every meal. SU elected to complete the audit in hopes of achieving accreditation by Kitchens with Confidence and they were successful. Since students in the university setting are generally new to the freedom of adulthood, it is crucial they select a school that takes measures to ensure their safety. The fact that Syracuse University elected to have this audit done is a testament to their dedication to serve safe food for all their diners.
Kitchens with Confidence (a wholly owned subsidiary of MenuTrinfo, LLC) is the leading full-service kitchen auditing service and “certified free from” authority for today’s foodservice operations. Officially launched in 2017, Kitchens with Confidence has become the external certification arm for the Top 8 food allergens and gluten. Backed by the ANSI-accredited allergen-training leader in the industry, AllerTrain, Kitchens with Confidence is guaranteed to take your establishments’ allergen expertise to the next level. Kitchens with Confidence has certified multiple kitchens across America including Cornell University, Mercyhurst University, Carnegie Mellon University, College of Holy Cross and Allie’s Gluten-Free Goodies. For more information about Kitchens with Confidence visit http://kitchenswithconfidence.com.