Use ServSafe for your food safety training requirements

The Louisiana Restaurant Association (LRA) just learned that a Utah company has been spamming Gulf South restaurateurs with deceptive calls referencing faulty required food safety and sanitation courses. A cease and desist was issued by ANSI through efforts of the National Restaurant Association as a result. The LRA is your state approved trusted resource for all food safety and sanitation, alcohol server, food handler and allergens training courses.

ServSafe Manager, the eight-hour course is required by the Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals. ServSafe Alcohol Training Online is required by the Louisiana Alcohol Tobacco Control.  As a member of the LRA, you receive a significant discount on all ServSafe products, both required and voluntary:

REQUIRED:

ServSafe Manager

The Louisiana Dept. of Health and Hospitals requires that at least one person per foodservice establishment complete the eight-hour food safety and sanitation course—ServSafe Manager. The comprehensive course blends the latest FDA Food Code, food safety research and years of food sanitation training experience. The LRA is the largest training provider in the state for ServSafe Manager and LRA Members receive a significant discount. Classes are offered in person and available online here.

Upcoming ServSafe Classes (All classes are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.)

Registered online here.

April 7, Quality Hotel, 210 S. Hollywood Road, Houma

April 28, The Chicory, 610 S. Peters St., New Orleans

May 5, Bossier Parish Community College, 6220 East Texas St., Bossier City

May 7, Courtyard By Marriott, 3830 Alexandria Mall Dr., Alexandria

May 13, Café Reconcile, 1634 Oretha Castle Haley Blvd., New Orleans

May 19, Juban’s Restaurant, 3739 Perkins Rd., Baton Rouge

May 20, South Louisiana Community College, 1101 Bertrand Dr., Lafayette

May 21, Sowela Technical Community College, 3820 Sen. J. Bennett Johnston Ave., Lake Charles

June 9, Alack Culinary Equipment, 17420 Hwy 190, Hammond

June 16, Chateau Country Club, 3600 Chateau Blvd., Kenner

June 23, Juban’s Restaurant, 3739 Perkins Rd., Baton Rouge

June 24, South Louisiana Community College, 1101 Bertrand Dr., Lafayette

June 30, Boomtown Casino, 4132 Peters Rd., Harvey

ServSafe Alcohol Online

Launched last summer, ServSafe Alcohol Online training is the first of its kind in Louisiana and replaces the need for servers of alcoholic beverages to attend a class in person. The ATC mandated, two-hour ServSafe Alcohol Online course is available 24/7 anywhere servers have access to a PC and the internet. LRA members receive a 10 percent discount on the regular $30 cost.

VOLUNTARY:

ServSafe Food Handler

ServSafe Food Handler is designed to add an additional layer of protection for your restaurant’s patrons. The two-hour course is available online for just $15 and provides your staff with the basic knowledge they need to serve your guests in a safety and sanitary manner. 

ServSafe Allergens

The most recent product released by the LRA is ServSafe Allergens—a 90-minute online course developed to assist restaurant staff in serving the 15 million Americans with food allergies safely. This voluntary course teaches restaurant staff about the various food allergies and implications for guests, how to properly communicate with guests and other restaurant staff, and proper procedures for front and back of the house staff, avoiding cross contact, inventory and preparation controls and what to do in case of an emergency. With the increased demand for gluten-free menu options and other alterations, this course can help you become more trusted among diners with food allergies. The cost for LRA members is $19.80. 

If you receive a call of this type referenced above or have any questions, please call the LRA at (504) 454-2277 today.  

Food safety and sanitation core of LRA benefits

As a partner in Food Safety with the state’s Department of Health and Hospitals, the Louisiana Restaurant Association is the largest provider of food safety and sanitation. Since 1999, when the state legislature mandated as least one person at each foodservice establishment complete the eight-hour course, ServSafe®, the LRA has trained nearly 28,000 restaurant employees in the principles and techniques to maintaining a safe environment for patrons to dine.

ServSafe is a nationally-approved
curriculum developed by the
National Restaurant Association and
offered year round by the LRA.

ServSafe is a nationally-approved curriculum developed by the National Restaurant Association and offered by the LRA’s staff of trainers weekly across the state. The new ServSafe Essentials, 6^th edition, was recently released and blends the latest FDA Food Code, food safety research and years of food sanitation training experience.

“This is a trusted food safety program with roots in the foodservice industry,” said Pam St. Pierre, VP of Member Services. “ServSafe is designed to help you protect your customer’s health, improve employee performance and preserve your restaurant’s reputation.”

ServSafe Essentials covers foodborne illnesses, including information on specific foodborne pathogens and biological toxins, such as shellfish poisoning, contamination and food allergens. Other areas covering are purchasing and receiving guidelines, food preparation, holding and serving guidelines, food safety management systems, sanitation guidelines for facilities and equipment and integrated pest control.

“We have a team of Certified ServSafe Instructors that collectively have more than 100 years of restaurant industry or regulatory experience,” said St. Pierre. “They are seasoned food safety and sanitation experts and provide practical, real-world experience to complement your training.”

Primarily managers go through the eight-hour course, while ServSafe Food Handler is offered for front and back of the house staff  in a condensed session of two hours.

Last year, California mandated that all foodservice employees complete the ServSafe Food Handler and more states and municipalities are looking to adopt that practice. Since the mandate, the California Restaurant Association has trained more than 350,000 restaurant staff in the two hour course, which is offered online.

ServSafe Food Handler covers five sections including basic food safety, personal hygiene, cross-contamination and allergens, time and temperature, and cleaning and sanitation. In addition to the full ServSafe course, the LRA also offers to come to your place of business and train your entire staff for a mere $25 per staff member. 

ServSafe classes are held in metropolitan areas across Louisiana and online registration is easy and available 24 hours a day. LRA members pay only $99 which includes the course book and exam. The non-member fee is $150. To schedule an on-site ServSafe Food Handler, please call the LRA at (504) 454-2277.

Interested in a ServSafe class?  You must register at least two weeks prior to the class and your materials will be mailed upon receipt of payments. Course materials and exams are also available in Spanish, but please allow four weeks for delivery of Spanish materials.