ServSafe

If you are in the restaurant business, there is nothing more important than serving safe food to your customers. Besides the cost of human suffering, one case of foodborne illness in your establishment can cause monumental damage to your reputation - as well as lower employee morale and devastate your sales. With constant media exposure to health scores and safe food practices, your customers are among the most knowledgeable in history - and they won't settle for anything less than perfection in what they eat - and they shouldn't. This is where the ServSafe Certification Program can help you.

The ServSafe Certification program was created by the Education Foundation of the National Restaurant Association to teach safe food practices to food handlers throughout the world.

What's Involved in Certification

Certification involves a two-step process. Step One is reading and studying the ServSafe Essentials handbook. Step Two is a one-day classroom training session that lasts from 8 a.m.-5 p.m., and ends with a certification exam. You will receive the book 2-3 weeks before your class so that you can have a head start on the classroom teaching. The test is not impossible, but it does require some study to pass.

Who We Are and How We Can Help

Our company has worked with the Alabama Restaurant Association to bring this certification class to companies in the state. We have held classes for companies such as the Bruno's Corporation to help their management personnel of Jefferson County become certified. We have been teaching ServSafe classes for the past 10 years and truly enjoy what we are doing (which makes the difference between a boring classroom and an exciting learning experience).

We offer classes from our training center in Oxford, Alabama, or we can come on-site if your company wishes to certify 10 or more employees at a session. We offer regular classes every 2-3 months in Oxford.

Why Do You Need Certification?

Several states are now requiring at least one certified manager on duty at all times in the store. Beginning in January 1, 2010, Alabama began requiring that there must be, at all times, an individual holding a valid certification; that is, one recognized by the Alabama Department of Public Health. Regardless of requirements, your customers will appreciate the "ServSafe Certified" certificate they see hanging on your wall as they come in and will know that you have gone the "extra mile" for their safety.

What Happens When You Sign Up?

You will receive the ServSafe Essentials book in the mail, along with a letter of explanation detailing how to use the coursebook and prepare for the class. We will also include a practice exam to gauge how well you're doing before you get to class. The book will arrive approximately two weeks before your scheduled class date. On the day of the class, we'll begin at 8 a.m. and go until around 4 p.m. (we provide lunch and frequent breaks throughout the day). The class consists of videos, multimedia presentations, interactive learning experiences, and discussions of the material in the book (as you can see, it's not your normal "boring classroom teaching" stuff). At 3:30 p.m., we begin a short review of what we studied and then you begin the exam at around 4 p.m.. Within a couple of weeks, you will receive your test score and certificate (if you pass the exam). You must score 75 or above to pass the exam.

What Will It Cost?

The cost per student is $110 for Alabama Restaurant Association members, and $129 for non-members.

For More Information

To find out more about ServSafe classes, or to register for an upcoming class (registration must be made at least one month prior to class date), you can email Brian Reaves or call us directly at (256) 835-5946, extension 106.