When you use the term “food specialist,” what comes to mind? Chances are, you’re thinking about somebody who focuses on food nutrition, allergies, and diet. While that’s an essential part of a specialist’s job, there is so much more. Here is a closer look at what a food specialist at Speedway does on a day-to-day basis.
Designs Menus And Creates Shopping Lists
Since the store is a fast food restaurant, the first thing a food specialist does is designs the menu and creates the shopping list. The menu is the list of all the food items the restaurant will offer and what will be served for each course. The shopping list is a list of all the items the restaurant needs to purchase to be able to cook the menu. It can be broken down into components, which make it much easier to keep track of inventory. You may ask the manager to give you a copy of the menu or the shopping list, if you’re not sure what some of the ingredients are.
Orders From The Restaurant
When the restaurant receives the order, the first thing the food specialist does is checks to see if all the required ingredients are in stock. If not, he either searches for them or calls back to the kitchen to inform them that they’re needed and to put a rush on the order. When everything is in stock, the food specialist calculates the cost of the order and notifies the manager.
Monitoring Consumption
The manager is the one who monitors how much food is being eaten by each person at the restaurant. Since the store is a fast food restaurant, the manager also keeps an eye on how fast each course is being served and if the portion size is okay. The food specialist monitors the nutritional value of each meal and makes sure the portion size is enough for the person eating it and for any allergies the person might have. For example, somebody with a dairy allergy might not be able to eat a cheeseburger because it contains dairy proteins.
Compiling Meal Reports
Meal reports are incredibly useful, especially for those who prepare them regularly as part of their job. They can analyze all the nutrition information from the previous day and see which courses were most popular and which ones needed to be improved upon. Furthermore, they can use the information to plan the following day’s menu and make any necessary adjustments. For example, somebody might decide a chicken burger and fries was one of the most popular courses, but the person preparing it forgot to order the fixings for the burger. The fixings are something extra like pickles, onions, and cheese that make a burger complete. In that case, the manager will inform the food specialist that they forgot to order the fixings and the food specialist will give them a call to remind them. This way, everybody knows what’s going on and there is less chance of something being missed.
Ensuring Food Safety
One of the most vital responsibilities of a food specialist is ensuring the safety of the food. Part of this responsibility is checking the temperature of the food and making sure it’s not too hot or cold. When the food is served, it is usually very hot, but the ideal temperature for food is between 35° and 40° Fahrenheit. Above this temperature, the food begins to deteriorate and below this temperature, it is considered “dangerous”. The manager takes care of making sure that the food is piping hot and that the portions are served in a safe manner. When food is delivered to the table, it should always be placed in front of the customer. This prevents any risk of food contamination from being brought to the surface by a hand or by a mouthful of food.
What Does A Food Specialist At Speedway Do?
When you use the term “food specialist,” what comes to mind? Chances are, you’re thinking about somebody who focuses on food nutrition, allergies, and diet. While that’s an essential part of a specialist’s job, there is so much more. Here is a closer look at what a food specialist at Speedway does on a day-to-day basis.
Designs Menus And Creates Shopping Lists
Since the store is a fast food restaurant, the first thing a food specialist does is designs the menu and creates the shopping list. The menu is the list of all the food items the restaurant will offer and what will be served for each course. The shopping list is a list of all the items the restaurant needs to purchase to be able to cook the menu. It can be broken down into components, which make it much easier to keep track of inventory. You may ask the manager to give you a copy of the menu or the shopping list, if you’re not sure what some of the ingredients are.
Orders From The Restaurant
When the restaurant receives the order, the first thing the food specialist does is checks to see if all the required ingredients are in stock. If not, he either searches for them or calls back to the kitchen to inform them that they’re needed and to put a rush on the order. When everything is in stock, the food specialist calculates the cost of the order and notifies the manager.
Monitoring Consumption
The manager is the one who monitors how much food is being eaten by each person at the restaurant. Since the store is a fast food restaurant, the manager also keeps an eye on how fast each course is being served and if the portion size is okay. The food specialist monitors the nutritional value of each meal and makes sure the portion size is enough for the person eating it and for any allergies the person might have. For example, somebody with a dairy allergy might not be able to eat a cheeseburger because it contains dairy proteins.
Compiling Meal Reports
Meal reports are incredibly useful, especially for those who prepare them regularly as part of their job. They can analyze all the nutrition information from the previous day and see which courses were most popular and which ones needed to be improved upon. Furthermore, they can use the information to plan the following day’s menu and make any necessary adjustments. For example, somebody might decide a chicken burger and fries was one of the most popular courses, but the person preparing it forgot to order the fixings for the burger. The fixings are something extra like pickles, onions, and cheese that make a burger complete. In that case, the manager will inform the food specialist that they forgot to order the fixings and the food specialist will give them a call to remind them. This way, everybody knows what’s going on and there is less chance of something being missed.
Ensuring Food Safety
One of the most vital responsibilities of a food specialist is ensuring the safety of the food. Part of this responsibility is checking the temperature of the food and making sure it’s not too hot or cold. When the food is served, it is usually very hot, but the ideal temperature for food is between 35° and 40° Fahrenheit. Above this temperature, the food begins to deteriorate and below this temperature, it is considered “dangerous”. The manager takes care of making sure that the food is piping hot and that the portions are served in a safe manner. When food is delivered to the table, it should always be placed in front of the customer. This prevents any risk of food contamination from being brought to the surface by a hand or by a mouthful of food.