Peeping into pots and pans:
The yearly quality and hygiene audit at our caterer
As part of our quality management, we audit our caterer Grüne Zwerg and peep into his pots and pans and storage. This year, our kitchen visit took place shortly after the end of the summer vacation. The owner, Mr. Kussauer, took us through his small, but well-organized and well-kept facilities in Cologne’s Südstadt.
The Grüne Zwerg cooks vedic style which means, according to them, that the cooking work itself should be enjoyable and that the ingredients should be produced without suffering and sorrow. This they interpret in such a way that except for milk they do not use any animal components such as rennet or eggs. For salting they use Himalayan salt.
Cooking is done freshly every morning. At the time of our visit in the midday hours, however, there was still a lot of busy activity: after tidying and washing up, the workplace preparation for the next day starts.
Food and working materials were handled by the employees in a hygienic fashion. The whole kitchen made an orderly and clean impression, which can only prevail in businesses that adhere to strict order and hygiene. The infrastructure used seemed in good shape and in best hygienic condition.
Among other things, two combi steamers are in use which guarantee maximum preservation of vitamins. Gas stoves are used for cooking. The extractor hoods and the grease filter system – covered by yellow patina in many other catering establishments – gleamed against polished stainless-steel.
The owner Mr. Kussauer showed us every storage corner and the walk-in fridges without any hesitation. His openness does not seem surprising, since he over meets any standard. He reported that he had already had two hygiene checks by the authorities this year, both of which had positive results.
The ingredients in stock are a mixture of exclusive and everyday fruit and vegetables in organic quality. Only for processed and purchased products (e.g. pasta) conventional (non-organic) ingredients may sometimes be used, depending on availability.
During our visit we found that both the Styrofoam warming containers and the stainless steel containers for food transport had been cleaned well and hygienically.
We at rainbowtrekkers particularly appreciate the fact that we are working with a small, local service provider from Cologne. The rainbowtrekkers are one of the Grüner Zwerg’s main customers. This gives us special flexibility when planning the menu, which we value very much. Feedback and change requests from children, parents or employees are taken seriously and implemented promptly.
It also means that we receive the meals from a small supplier who is dedicated to making his customers healthy and satisfied.
The inspection showed that we can trust the caterer and that our daily meals in the kindergarten come from a trustworthy, responsible environment. Another meeting was agreed for the coming year to take place.
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