BSJ, Best Dressed Chicken launch restaurant food-safety programme

The Bureau of Standards Jamaica (BSJ), through its Quality Institute, has partnered with The Best Dressed Chicken to promote stronger food-safety practices across Jamaica’s restaurant sector through the inaugural Restaurant Food Safety Excellence Programme.

The one-day programme, held on October 7 at the BSJ’s Quality Institute, marked the first collaboration between the institute and a private-sector partner to deliver targeted capacity-building for restaurant workers, supervisors and managers.

Designed around the realities of restaurant operations, the programme went beyond traditional classroom instruction, challenging participants to identify risks, solve problems, and apply food-safety controls to situations they encounter in the workplace.

Participants engaged in scenarios, demonstrations, discussions and practical activities covering food-safety hazards, personal hygiene, cross-contamination, receiving and storage, temperature control, cooking, cooling, service and allergen management.

Manager of the Quality Institute, Deidre Taylor, said the programme reflects the institute’s commitment to training solutions that respond directly to industry needs.

“Restaurant food safety happens in real kitchens, under real operational pressures, so this programme was designed to go beyond simply knowing the rules. We want participants to be able to identify risks, make informed decisions, and apply food-safety principles confidently in the situations they encounter every day,” Taylor said.

She said the partnership helps ensure the training remains grounded in the practical needs of restaurant operators.

“Through this partnership with The Best Dressed Chicken, we are bringing technical expertise and industry experience together to strengthen food-safety practices across Jamaica’s restaurant sector,” she added.

Avadaugn Sinclair, marketing manager at The Best Dressed Chicken, said the initiative offered an opportunity to help restaurant customers strengthen their operations.

“At The Best Dressed Chicken, we believe that quality and food safety are everyone’s responsibility. Our restaurant customers play an important role in ensuring that the food we provide reaches consumers safely and at its best. By sponsoring their participation in this training, we are helping them strengthen their teams and giving them the tools to deliver an even better experience to their customers,” she said.

Speaking to the broader importance of food safety across the industry, Sinclair said strong practices were essential at every stage of the food chain.

“Food safety matters at every stage, from farm to table. Restaurants have an important role to play in making sure food is handled safely and served at its best. By strengthening food-safety practices across the restaurant sector, we can help protect consumers, reduce waste, and build greater confidence in the food we enjoy every day,” she added.

Insights from the inaugural programme will help shape future deliveries of the Restaurant Food Safety Excellence Programme and other industry-focused initiatives by the Quality Institute.