المملكة: New standards for classifying luxury restaurants…digital reservation, the most prominent requirements

The classifications include the absence of a car ordering service, the absence of more than one branch of one brand in the city at most, providing a designated area for delivering application requests, so that it is not visible to visitors, providing a health and food safety specialist with a certificate accredited by the competent authority in the Kingdom, and providing a bag holder. And a wardrobe for hanging coats and clothes.
The standards include registering the restaurant’s trademark, providing a highly efficient sound system, providing a menu containing at least three sections (appetizers – main dishes – desserts) with a total of five items as a minimum, providing a drinks preparation corner visible to visitors, and providing a designated area for restaurant workers. Providing a designated area for restaurant workers and providing specific dress codes.

Added activity spaces

The list of requirements allowed the practice of additional activities approved by the Ministry and Civil Defense, provided that the total area of ​​the added activities does not exceed 50% of the total area mentioned in the license, and the minimum area of ​​the main activity is maintained, and the area of ​​the additional activity is not less than 6 square meters, with the exception of self-service machines.

It stipulates that surfaces in contact with food must be made of materials suitable and safe for use and non-corrosive, and must be smooth and non-porous, “does not allow the absorption of any liquids, fats or foods,” and can be easily and effectively cleaned and disinfected.

Hygiene obligations

Luxury restaurants are required to prepare ice or steam or use it in a drink mixing machine, and to clean surfaces that come into contact with food or the hands of food handling workers.
It requires that all equipment and tools used in producing, distributing and storing ice be kept away from sources of pollution, as well as regularly cleaned and sterilized from the inside. These equipment and tools must be hygienicly designed to prevent the return of drain water, and ice making machines must have appropriate covers to prevent dust or dirt from entering the pipes. And slanted drains and openings, and to prevent the leakage of drops resulting from weather factors (such as wind or rain), pests and other pollutants in the environment, and ice scoops must not be In contact with pieces of ice when stored.
Luxury restaurants were required to provide an area for cleaning, sterilizing and drying all equipment that comes into contact with food, such as tools, utensils and serving dishes, provided that it is separate from the food preparation and processing areas, and it is prohibited to wash food items or the hands of workers in the sinks designated for washing equipment and utensils.
She stressed that in the case of mechanical washing, washing machines must be provided with detergent and disinfectant. Likewise, washing machines must rely on disinfection either on hot water for glassware or a chemical disinfectant. It allowed washing dishes manually or automatically according to the facility’s needs, and providing effective tools for cleaning and sterilization, while it required supplying washing basins. Equipment with hot and cold water “fit for human use”.

Packaging materials

She stressed that the food facility must be food-safe when purchasing packaging materials and single-use materials, and when purchasing personal protective equipment (such as: head covering, gloves), it must be suitable for use in food preparation. ​
It stipulates that fresh meat imported into the food facility must be slaughtered in one of the regular slaughterhouses and stamped with the slaughterhouse’s approved seal. When food is served raw or lightly cooked (such as raw oysters, sushi, steak tartare, and carpaccio), the food facility must obtain information from the supplier about the source of these foods when appropriate, and such records must be maintained.
The regulations stipulate that all storage areas must be clean and dry to reduce the risk of contamination by “foreign objects”, prevent harboring pests or cause the risk of contamination, and contain sufficient shelves to store all materials, leaving sufficient spacing to facilitate visual inspection and enable cleaning. Effective, and made of durable, anti-corrosion, non-porous materials, and storage should be at a height of “15 cm” from the floor, and a distance of “5 cm” from the wall, leaving a distance of “30 cm” from the ceiling where possible. In frozen storage, sufficient space must be provided between the containers to allow air to move effectively.
It stipulates that food storage areas must be capable of preserving food at appropriate temperatures. Refrigerated food at a temperature of “0” to “5” degrees Celsius, frozen food at a temperature less than “-18” degrees Celsius, and food stored in The ambient temperature is between 15 and 25 degrees Celsius.
She stressed that food should be examined before use to ensure that it is in good condition and does not exhibit any mold, unpleasant odors, decomposition, or any other signs of spoilage. She explained that when preparing fresh fruits and vegetables, care should be taken to clean them, trim them, and wash them in water suitable for human consumption.
The regulations oblige restaurants to have sauces that have data and ingredients for the mixture, documented and of known source at the food establishment, to keep refrigerated at a maximum temperature of “4” degrees Celsius, and away from direct sunlight and sources of pollution, and for the sauce container to be tightly sealed, with the production and expiration date indicated on it. According to requirements and specifications.
It stipulates that correct cooking procedures be followed to avoid falling into the danger zone. The internal temperature of the food must not be less than 75 degrees Celsius when cooking raw food, and it must be cooked well enough to kill bacteria. While cooking meat, its surface must be shocked with heat to kill any harmful bacteria on the surface. surface, and the meat must be turned frequently during cooking.

Cooling requirements

It requires that cooked foods that are to be kept in the refrigerator be refrigerated until the temperature of the product’s thermal center drops to less than “10” degrees Celsius within two hours, and after that the product must be stored directly at a temperature of “4” degrees Celsius, and used within two or three days from the time Prepare it.
The regulations indicated that when reheating food, equipment must be used that can effectively heat until it reaches an internal temperature of “75” degrees Celsius so that it does not become unsafe, explaining at the same time that frozen food must be completely thawed before cooking or consuming it unless it is Intended for cooking when frozen. Foods should only be thawed once, and the food product manufacturer’s instructions should be followed.
When displaying food, restaurants are required to take all practical measures to protect it from contamination. When displaying fresh fish for sale, it must be kept at the melting temperature of ice and the date of fishing must be displayed. When placing fish inside or on top of a layer of crushed ice, good contact must be maintained between the ice and the fish. For the duration of its coverage.

Cleaning equipment and tools