Link to CarefulKitchenCrew

Using the Church Kitchen

It’s great to see our church kitchen coming to life again as a hub of hospitality and fellowship.

Thank you to all who work in the GWUC kitchen to support our many groups. You do a great job.

The Careful Kitchen Crew (CKC) aims to ensure that we are complying with Monash Council standards and with our own expectations for Food Safety and cleanliness in the food we prepare and serve at our GWUC kitchen.

Here are a few reminders from CKC for all who use the kitchen, whether for a cuppa, church morning tea, lunches or for any other activity. It seems like a long list of reminders, but most people are already helping with this, and we thank them.

Prior to handling food/crockery

• Please wash your hands with soap for 20 seconds at the handwashing sink (behind the kitchen door) and dry with the paper towel provided.
• Wipe down any benches you will be using with a clean cloth and sanitiser from the cupboard under the double sink.
• Long-life milk and juice – always label such products with the date of opening. CKC will dispose of all unlabelled or expired items left in the kitchen, as part of our duty of care for a shared facility.
• Familiarise yourself with what is in the kitchen cupboards and drawers. There are quite a few items which may assist you to do your tasks.
• The church kitchen is not a meeting room. Please use the fellowship area for socializing.

During food preparation or serving

• Please be aware of the Temperature Danger Zone and store potentially hazardous foods in the fridge. Food left at room temperature may quickly become unsafe to eat. Hazardous foods must be discarded after 4 hrs in the Temperature Danger Zone and that includes preparation time.
  Re-heated food must be heated to 75˚C. If in doubt, throw it out.

• Use separate chopping boards and utensils for raw and cooked foods.

When you are finished, please leave the kitchen as you would like to find it

• Leave benches clean and ensure that all items are put away.
• Use the dishwasher for all washing up then empty it and turn it off at the machine and at the wall. Washed items will air-dry quickly and should then be returned to the cupboards. Dishwasher instructions may be found on the wall. If you have just a few mugs, these may be rinsed then left in a dishwasher rack beside the dishwasher for washing later the same day.
• Take used tea towels home to launder and return to the marked drawer.
• Take left-overs home. If you do need to leave food in the fridge or freezer, ensure it is covered and labeled with group and date, then removed within a few days.
• The floor is to be swept and left clean after all events. A mop is provided in the kitchen.

• Empty the kitchen bin after all events and never leave food in any church bin. Take the liner and contents outside to a red-lid bin, then replace it with a new liner from under the kitchen sink.
  Place articles for recycling in the Yellow bins outside. N.B. There are RATS outside the building and we don’t want to encourage them to come inside.

We appreciate your help in all these requests.

For more information or for help with using the dishwasher, please contact the Careful Kitchen Crew, YanEmms, MargaretFraser, LynneBoyer, DebGraham, KayeMorgan, AnjanaRemson (Anna)