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Page 1: Church Executive Magazine presents: Kitchen Food Service eBook

Presents:

COMMERCIAL-GRADECHURCH KITCHENS

Page 2: Church Executive Magazine presents: Kitchen Food Service eBook

2 | CHURCH EXECUTIVE | COMMERCIAL KITCHENS / FOOD SERVICE ON THE COVER: Photo provided by Marcus White

IS A COMMERCIAL KITCHEN RIGHT FOR YOUR CHURCH?

With equipment, exhaust systems, plumbing, electricity, building

codes and so much more to consider — all at a considerable cost

— building a commercial church kitchen is a big decision. But,

it’s also a smart one.

By RaeAnn Slaybaugh

A FEW WORDS ABOUT OVENS

As with any kitchen, the oven is the heart of a commercial-grade

operation. Because it’s such a big investment (in terms of ministry

and money), design experts recommend thinking “outside the

box” about some advanced, cost-saving options.

WHAT TO EXPECT IF YOU’RE INSPECTED

Generally speaking, if a church cooks for and sells food to the

public, it’s subject to regular inspections from the state health

department.

HANDLE WITH CARE

Whether they’re subject to regular inspections or not, church

kitchens should incorporate a safety program into their operations.

PREVENTING FOODBORNE ILLNESSES

Of all the liabilities that can derail a church’s food ministry,

a foodborne illness is one of the quickest.

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COMMERCIAL KITCHENS / FOOD SERVICE | CHURCH EXECUTIVE | 3

“In my opinion, the cost difference doesn’t warrant building a warming kitchen, in the long run. In fact, it’s sometimes more expensive … than a commercial kitchen because everyone thinks they ‘own’ it, but no one takes responsibility for it. That kind of use takes its toll on equipment and supplies, whereas a commercial kitchen fosters a sense of accountability.”

— Marcus White, Director of Hospitality, First Baptist Church of Orlando &

Executive Director, Global Association of Christian Hospitality Professionals (GACHP)

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4 | CHURCH EXECUTIVE | COMMERCIAL KITCHENS / FOOD SERVICE

CHURCH?IS A COMMERCIAL

KITCHEN RIGHT FOR YOUR

With equipment, exhaust systems, plumbing, electricity, building codes

and so much more to consider — all at a considerable cost — building

a commercial church kitchen is a big decision.

But, it’s also a smart one.

BY RAEANN SLAYBAUGH

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COMMERCIAL KITCHENS / FOOD SERVICE | CHURCH EXECUTIVE | 5

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Any church that wants to add a

commercial kitchen to its campus learns

quickly that it’s no small undertaking.

Depending on the kitchen’s intended

uses, there are a multitude of equipment

requirements, liabilities, staffing and

inspection considerations to navigate —

often, more than the church bargained for.

Commercial, by design

To start with, it can be confusing to

decipher the differences between a

commercial kitchen and a warming, or

residential-style, setup. Because these

nuances are subject to local health and

fire jurisdictions, they vary greatly across

the country.

Church design professionals such as

Ernest C. (Terry) Biglow, III, AIA — managing

principal at CDH Partners, Inc., in Marietta,

GA — are used to leading clients through

this complex territory. “For one thing,

commercial kitchens are subject to

inspections for compliance with the local

(Photo provided by Churches by Daniels)

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COMMERCIAL KITCHENS / FOOD SERVICE | CHURCH EXECUTIVE | 7

CONSIDER SERVING WARE CAREFULLY

“Storage is a big plate ware consideration. At our church, we have china service and flatware for 1,000 people, which requires a lot of storage space, not to mention a 1,500-square-foot dishwashing area.

“Plate ware also affects the cost to serve people. For instance, we recently hosted a plated breakfast at our church for 400 people. If our customer used paper instead of china, and organized it buffet-style, the per-person cost would have dropped from $16 to $10. That’s a $2,400 savings, because the event wouldn’t have required wait staff or dishwashers. That’s an important distinction for church leaders, who are always interested in good financial stewardship.”

— Marus White, Director of Hospitality, First Baptist Church of Orlando

PUT ON YOUR BUSINESS HAT

“In some respects, churches need to operate like businesses. Congregants are like customers: If there’s a coffee shop or café, they’ll show up 20 minutes early versus five minutes late.”

— Libby Shoop, Marketing Manager, C&T Design and Equipment Co., Inc.

EXPERT TIPS

The large commercial kitchen at the Oklahoma Assembly of God Camp in Sparks, OK, fuels a state-of-the art dining hall equipped to serve 1,000 people three meals a day (shown, left).

health department, and the number of meals

served might influence the frequency of those

inspections,” he explains. “And, on the equipment

side, anything more than a microwave could be

considered a commercial kitchen, in some areas of

the U.S.”

For these reasons, architects say it’s critically

important that the church speak to both city and

county officials about fire, health and building

codes. “All three impact kitchens, and the last

thing you want is to discover a requirement after

everything is built,” explains Eric MacInerney,

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8 | CHURCH EXECUTIVE | COMMERCIAL KITCHENS / FOOD SERVICE

principal and project architect at Heimsath

Architects in Austin, TX. “The commercial

side is pretty cut and dried; but, if you

want to try to do anything less than a full

commercial kitchen, things get murky.”

Even so, experts agree that a few

across-the-board differences exist between

warming kitchens and commercial setups.

Many are rooted in the facility’s

intended uses.

“A warming kitchen is one in which

the food is primarily prepared elsewhere

and assembled or heated up in the

kitchen,” explains Darrell Devore, senior

At Duncan First United Methodist Church (Duncan, OK), a commercial-grade kitchen fuels large-scale ministry. Every Thanksgiving, the church hosts a turkey noodle dinner that feeds about 25 percent of the town’s population. Additionally, the kitchen serves children every day.

(Photo provided by Churches by Daniels)

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COMMERCIAL KITCHENS / FOOD SERVICE | CHURCH EXECUTIVE | 9

the homeless, or selling food. “These create

a situation where there’s public trust in

the food, and the county enforces their

regulations to keep things safe.”

All the bells and whistles

Given that many churches will want

to serve school and the homeless, or sell

food to the public, a commercial kitchen

becomes the logical choice. Once a church

leader approaches an architect about this

type of setup, the topic of vent hoods and

exhaust systems will likely come up first.

There’s a reason for that: These elements are

expensive — and non-negotiable.

Generally speaking, the primary purpose

of an exhaust hood over a commercial

range is to remove the combustion gases

of the more powerful burners, according to

the experts at Comstock-Castle Stove Co.,

based in Quincy, IL, which was established

in 1838. Removing cooking smells, they say,

is a secondary purpose.

“A properly sized commercial hood

needs to be physically matched to the

equipment underneath it, as well as for the

BTU rating of that equipment,” advises the

company’s website. “Local commercial

building codes may vary, but generally the

hood must extend a certain distance left to

right and front to back over the equipment

project manager at Churches by Daniels

Construction in Broken Arrow, OK.

In contrast, Heimsath Architects’

MacInerney says three kinds of activities

put a church kitchen on the health

department’s radar as a commercial

operation: serving a day school, serving

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under it.” Additionally, the hood’s fan motor

must remove a certain amount of air (cubic

feet per minute) in relation to the BTU rating,

as determined by the local commercial

build code.

Building God’s Way founder Dan

Cook says yearly fire suppression costs

associated with a type-2 vent hoods

(common in commercial kitchens) range

from $3,000 to $4,000, including insurance

and cleaning. Utilities add another $3,000

to $4,000, annually.

And, as Libby Shoop, marketing

manager at Indianapolis-based C&T Design

and Equipment Co., Inc., price isn’t the only

consideration related to exhaust systems;

aesthetics matter, too. “Beautiful church

design doesn’t lend itself to ugly exhaust

systems, so the vapors that usually escape

through the roof might need to be rerouted

to go out the side of the building,” she

explains. “That can add cost.”

Additionally, floor drains, hand sinks,

mop sinks and three-compartment sinks

are all standard in commercial kitchens. “A

commercial kitchen can have three times

as many sinks and/or dishwashing systems

as a warming kitchen,” says Building God’s

Way’s Cook. “All those sinks — coupled

with a walk-in cooler or freezer — typically

occupy 500 to 1,000 square feet of

commercial kitchen space.”

Moreover, Heimsath Architects’

MacInerney points out that all kitchens

(commercial and warming) are required

to have an accessible sink and accessible

counter. “We often do an accessible hand-

sink to accommodate the sink requirement,”

he says.

CDH Partners’ Biglow says most

jurisdictions will dictate that plumbing drain

lines in commercial kitchens be routed

to a grease trap somewhere outside the

building. “Typically, these are a minimum

of 1,500-gallon, in-ground tanks designed

to trap grease in the water before it gets

into municipal sewer lines,” he explains.

“Although the size of the required trap is

based on the number of meals that

are planned per week, this can be an

expensive item.”

Commercial kitchens also require

impervious, easy-to-clean finishes on all

surfaces. Plus, many feature warming

cabinets, separate storage for dry goods

(food pantries), walk-in coolers, and —

last, but definitely not least — extensive

electricity components. To this end, some

design experts recommend planning

commercial-grade electrical capacity into

the kitchen from the beginning, even if a

smaller-scale warming kitchen is on the

menu at first.

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Garden Park Church (Monclova, OH) features a 24,000-square-foot commercial kitchen with a three-compartment sink, ansul hood and commercial refrigerators. (Photo provided by Midwest Church Design Ltd.)

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All about functionality

After equipment, design experts focus on

one of the most important — and hardest to

achieve — element of commercial kitchen

design: flow.

“Where dishes, pots and pans are

washed, where they’re stored, and how they

get back to where they’re being used is just

one aspect to consider,” explains Churches

by Daniels’ Devore.

Other flow elements to consider include:

how much room is necessary between work

stations, where to position the pantry, and

how far away the walk-in is (and who you

have to pass to get there and back).

“Flow — or the lack of it — can make or

break a busy kitchen,” Devore says. “That’s

why a good kitchen designer is essential.”

Positioning the cooler is one example

of the inherent challenges of flow.

According to Pamela Goldstein, vice

president of operations at Nevada-based

Humidity Control Systems — maker of

CoolerKING, an all-natural mineral filter

— the cooler should be located in an

area as far away as possible from heat-

generating appliances, such as stoves and

dishwashers. “Heat and moisture enters the

cooler when the door is opened, causing

the equipment to work harder and use

more energy to maintain proper food

storage temperatures,” she explains.

This kind of space planning is simple

in a brand-new commercial kitchen, but

not in an existing kitchen. For this reason,

Goldstein’s company’s proprietary filters are

designed to absorb heat and water vapor.

“Doing so reduces the workload on the

compressor, resulting in lower temperatures

and less energy use,” she points out. “The

filters then release purified moisture back

into the air, as needed, which creates an

ideal food storage environment.”

Design experts agree it’s easier to meet

commercial kitchen design challenges in a

brand-new space. Stuart Powell, CEO and

president of Oklahoma-based Cookshack,

is one of them.

“When I’ve helped churches with these

types of projects, I’ve always started with the

question of how many people they want

to serve. After that, I factor in refrigeration

and sanitation requirements, as well as

any special items a church might want

to prepare. If it’s a brand-new building,

all this is much easier,” he says. “In an

existing building, there might be square

footage and plumbing issues that can’t be

overcome.”

More and more the norm

At this point, a commercial church

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COMMERCIAL KITCHENS / FOOD SERVICE | CHURCH EXECUTIVE | 15

kitchen might sound like a major

undertaking. True, it does represent a

significant investment of time and money.

However, it can be an extremely beneficial

ministry — and even monetary — investment

in the long term.

For this reason, commercial kitchens are

more common than you might think in the

house-of-worship market, and not just in

big churches.

At Building God’s Way, for instance, Cook

estimates about 98 percent of church clients

have opted to build commercial kitchens.

“The size of the church is mostly irrelevant,”

he adds.

Jack Berry, architectural manager

for Perrysburg, OH-based Midwest Church

Construction, agrees. He says the size of his

clients’ churches hasn’t determined what

kind of kitchens they build; ministry has.

“In some churches, food is a big deal,” he

states, simply. “In others, not so much.”

Berry’s firm has designed and built all

kinds of food service setups, from lobby

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16 | CHURCH EXECUTIVE | COMMERCIAL KITCHENS / FOOD SERVICE

cafés to full-blown commercial-grade

kitchen operations. “Sometimes a church

wants the nicest equipment, but it doesn’t

plan to serve the public, so it doesn’t license

the setup as a commercial kitchen,”

he says.

For Cookshack’s Powell, the type of

kitchen a church client builds is driven

almost exclusively by its mission. “A

congregation that wants to serve meals

to the homeless will certainly want a

commercial kitchen,” he says. “A church

that wants to do potluck meals once a

month will likely opt for a warming setup.”

At C&T Design and Equipment, Shoop

echoes the concept that ministry objectives

usually drive church kitchen design. “The

focus is often on food and fellowship, and

the layout usually supports that dynamic,”

she explains. “For example, we’ve got to

make sure the tables face each other, and

that kitchens face out into the

dining areas.”

A self-sustaining ministry

Churches are also honing in on

the revenue-generating potential of

commercial kitchens.

“The financial sustainability component is

huge,” Building God’s Way’s Cook explains.

“Churches are the least-used buildings in

the U.S., and we need to start using

our facilities beyond just a few days

a week.”

One way to do this is by leasing a

commercial kitchen as a revenue stream.

Cook cites an Oregon church which —

with a new property tax imposed on it —

converted its facility to a hotel/conference

center. Its commercial-grade kitchen is a

huge component.

“It generates $30,000 to $40,000 a

month,” Cook says. “Plus, they were

surprised to see their membership grow by

about 20 percent, all from catering!

Florida’s First Baptist Church of Orlando

is another church that has achieved

enormous success operating its commercial

kitchen as a revenue generator. Marcus

White, director of hospitality at the church —

and executive director of Global Association

of Christian Hospitality Professionals

(GACHP) — manages a full-service banquet

hall that seats 1,000, plus a 15,000-square-

foot kitchen in which as many as 40 staff

and volunteers can be working at once.

Outside groups or people aren’t allowed to

use the kitchen; everyone must use the staff

in place.

“We generate $1.5 million in sales a year

from our kitchen setup,” White shares. “That

makes ours a self-sustaining ministry.”

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(Photo provided by CDH Partners, Inc.)

Holy Spirit Catholic Church in Atlanta, GA

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The cost of going

commercial

Naturally, the cost

to build a commercial

kitchen is a top-of-mind

consideration. That price

tag varies greatly based on

design. It becomes even

more difficult to assign a

construction estimate when

a church kitchen is just

one aspect of larger-scale,

campus-wide endeavor.

Even so, design experts can

offer some ballpark ranges

based on their collective

projects.

Ernie Archuleta, project

administrator at Ogden,

UT-based Building God’s

Way, says it costs $75,000

to $100,000 more to build a

commercial kitchen than a

warming kitchen.

Churches by Daniels’

Devore recalls a large

commercial kitchen project

designed to feed more

than 1,000 churchgoers

at each sitting. “The

equipment alone ran more

than $600,000,” he says.

On the other end of

the spectrum, Devore

helped another church

remodel its existing kitchen

into a commercial setup.

Food service space was

doubled, and all-new

equipment was purchased

— except the dishwasher,

dish carts and racks. That

project was completed,

turn-key, for about $350,000.

For her part, C&T Design

and Equipment’s Shoop

says the commercial

church kitchen projects

her team has undertaken

range between $100,000

and $200,000. “Most

accommodate separate

banquet facilities,” she

points out. “That estimate

also includes exhaust

systems and hoods.”

While Cookshack’s

Powell concedes the price

of a commercial kitchen

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COMMERCIAL KITCHENS / FOOD SERVICE | CHURCH EXECUTIVE | 21

MarketPlaceACOUSTICS

ACOUSTICS

Contact Sali T. Williams for rates and art specifications:800.541.2670 x209 or [email protected]

can vary greatly, he typically works with

budgets between $250,000 and $500,000.

As part of a large-scale church

construction project, CDH Partners’ Biglow

says a commercial kitchen can add

$100,000 to $250,000 to the bottom line.

For a church construction committee,

those are some big numbers — especially

if a kitchen is just one facility of several on

the checklist. Even so, design experts agree

that commercial kitchens in churches are

fantastic investments — not only from a

ministry perspective, but a monetary one.

GACHP’s Marcus White is one such

proponent. Cost-effectiveness tops his list of

reasons.

“In my opinion, the cost difference

doesn’t warrant building a warming

kitchen, in the long run,” he explains. “In

fact, it’s sometimes more expensive to run

a warming kitchen than a commercial

kitchen because everyone thinks they ‘own’

it, but no one takes responsibility for it. That

kind of use takes its toll on equipment and

supplies, whereas a commercial kitchen

fosters a sense of accountability.” n

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A FEW WORDS ABOUT OVENS

As with any kitchen, the oven is the heart of a commercial-grade operation. Because it’s such a big investment — in terms of ministry and money — design experts recommend thinking “outside the box” about some advanced, cost-saving options.

One type of oven — the Rational cooking center — has earned a resounding endorsement from Building God’s Way Founder Dan Cook. “[A Rational] is a cost-

efficient option that makes sense to the business heads of church boards,” he explains. “It doesn’t require a big ventilation hood, and it can cook anything. It can even deep fry.”

This system also requires fewer staff and commercial kitchen training to operate. “It’s great for situations where a church wants to feed a lot of people the same meal,” Cook points out.

The large commercial kitchen at the Oklahoma Assembly of God Camp in Sparks, OK, is equipped to serve 1,000 people three meals a day.

(Photo provided by Churches by Daniels)

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COMMERCIAL KITCHENS / FOOD SERVICE | CHURCH EXECUTIVE | 23

For their part, the experts at Quincy, IL-based Comstock-Castle Stove Co., warn churches against settling for a “commercial-type” or “commercial-style” residential range.

“There are many of these on the market now, and the price is far higher than real commercial ranges,” the company’s website states. “A real commercial range has far more cooking capacity and more durability, due to heavier materials used.”

While commercial-type residential ranges use slightly heavier materials and have more cooking power than their truly residential counterparts, they still have far less cooking power than a commercial range, according to the site. “At a very high price, they satisfy a demand for a little more cooking capacity, as well as giving the appliance a ‘commercial’ look.”

Comstock-Castle professionals contend that very few restaurants use commercial-type ranges in their operations because they need the “durability, productivity and price of the real thing.”

In the end, the cost of a commercial-type residential range compared to that of a real commercial range isn’t justifiable, they assert. “The savings can easily pay for proper commercial installation, with savings to spare, as well as getting the cooking performance and durability of a real commercial range.”

Outside-the-box oven optionsOn a smaller oven/range scale, Marcus White,

director of hospitality at Florida’s First Baptist Church of Orlando and executive director of Global Association of Christian Hospitality Professionals (GACHP), also suggests an oven that doesn’t require a fire suppression system. “That small toasting oven you see at Subway is a $7,000 unit,” he says. “It toasts a sandwich in 15 seconds, but it doesn’t require a vent hood.”

For his part, Cookshack President and CEO Stuart

Powell — a former pastor — says a smoker is a nice addition to a commercial kitchen. “Using it, a church can cook large pieces of meat to feed a larger volume of people at one time,” he says. “Also, they can do it using a cheaper cut of meat.”

His company’s SmartSmoker electric smoker line is designed to be simple to operate, easy to clean, and have a small footprint, all of which lend well to church kitchen use, he points out. One unit he recommends considering is the Model 260, which accommodates up to 550 pounds of chicken, fish, pork, vegetables and beef.

For outreach purposes, Powell uses another smoker in the line — the FEC500 — to cook and serve food for Friendship Feast, a Ponca City, OK-based mission, once a month. It smokes up to 500 pounds of pork, 450 pounds of brisket, 150 pounds of ribs, or 70 chickens per load.

As for what constitutes “commercial” oven use for an inspector, Eric MacInerney, principal and project architect at Hemisath Architects in Austin, TX, says the International Building Code, or IBC, has some grey area.

“For example, I’ve had to put a type-1 commercial hood over a residential range in a tiny kitchen because the inspector felt that the church was a commercial building (which it is) and thus, the kitchen was commercial (which is debatable),” he explains. “The building officials correctly see this as a life safety issue, so there’s very little you can do to argue; it’s best to just quickly find out where they stand and move forward based on that.”

MacInerney also points out that just because a church has a commercial kitchen, that doesn’t stipulate it must have a commercial stove — “just commercial venting,” he says. n

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Generally speaking, if a church cooks for and sells food to the public, it’s subject to regular inspections from the state health department — once or twice a year, typically.

The number of meals served, and how often, are two more factors in the frequency of required inspections. “In some states, churches are exempt from inspections unless X numbers of meals are served per week or month, which bumps up the operation to commercial status,” explains Jack Berry, architectural manager for Perrysburg, OH-based Midwest Church Construction. “A church kitchen isn’t considered a commercial kitchen unless the health department licenses it as such.”

But even if that doesn’t happen, many churches with commercial kitchens voluntarily open themselves up to inspection, according to Marcus White, director of hospitality at Florida’s First Baptist Church of Orlando and executive director of Global Association of Christian Hospitality Professionals (GACHP). “After all, many of them serve schools, and often the food is for sale,” he says. “So, it sends a message that the church has nothing to hide.”

Libby Shoop, marketing manager at Indianapolis-

based C&T Design and Equipment Co., Inc., says her firm takes a similar “open-door” approach to inspections when designing church kitchens. “We automatically file for permits, just to be safe,” she explains. “We find it’s best to just expect to be inspected.”

In the end, Stuart Powell, CEO and president of Oklahoma-based Cookshack, urges caution and due diligence when it comes to permits and inspections. “The rules are different from state to state,” he points out. “Any church looking at putting in a kitchen should contact its local health inspector to see what the local requirements will be.” n

WHAT TO EXPECT IF YOU’REINSPECTED

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MountParan Church of God in Atlanta, GA (Photo provided by CDH Partners, Inc.)

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Whether they’re subject to regular inspections or not, church kitchens should incorporate a safety program into their operation and follow a Hazard Analysis & Critical Control Points (HACCP) plan.

Pamela Goldstein, vice president of operations at Nevada-based Humidity Control Systems — maker of CoolerKING, an all-natural mineral filter — also recommends that a certified food manager, or a volunteer trained in a food safety course, trains food preparation workers in safe food handling practices.

In a commercial kitchen, a licensed kitchen manager can perform these duties. “This person has to go through training and ensure that the food handling rules are followed,” says Eric MacInerney, principal and project architect at Heimsath Architects in Austin, TX. “In fact, depending on its planned uses, the church might have to consider hiring a kitchen manager.”

Libby Shoop, marketing manager at Indianapolis-based C&T Design and Equipment Co., Inc., agrees. “A commercial kitchen requires a person in charge (PIC) who’s Serv-Safe-certified” — a certification offered through the National Restaurant Association, she says.

Stuart Powell, CEO and president of Oklahoma-

based Cookshack, feels the same way about training. He recommends that all volunteers working in church kitchens attend a food safety course, typically offered at no cost by the local health department.

Proper equipment operation is another top-of-mind concern for Shoop and Powell. “Training in this area is so huge, especially with heavy-duty equipment,” she continues. “High heats create complex use.”

And, as Powell points out, many churches assume everyone knows how to operate certain pieces of equipment. “Take a dishwasher, for example,” he says. “There are a lot of differences between a home-use dishwasher and a commercial one.”

In the end, design experts agree the risks inherent to church kitchens are the same as in any kitchen.

“They’re dangerous places with lots of sharp and hot things in them,” says Ernest C. (Terry) Biglow, III, AIA, managing principal at CDH Partners, Inc., in Marietta, GA. “Anyone working in a church kitchen should be aware of these dangers and understand how to work in one, safely.”

Of all the liabilities that can derail a church’s food ministry, a foodborne illness is one of the quickest.

“All you need to do is Google ‘church foodborne illness’ to know that,” asserts Marcus White, director of hospitality at First Baptist Church Orlando and executive director of Global Association of Christian Hospitality Professionals (GACHP). “Even though church kitchens aren’t always required to be inspected, they’re certainly not exempt from lawsuits.” For this reason, risk-averse churches — beyond ensuring food handling training for all church workers, volunteer and paid — are also monitoring how food is stored.

“Commercial refrigeration units have to maintain certain range of temperature and have visible thermometers,” explains Eric MacInerney, principal and project architect at Heimsath Architects in Austin, TX. “And, food has to be dated and discarded appropriately. If the church youth, office or other programs are using the kitchen as well, sometimes this causes a lot of management issues.”

When it comes to proper food storage, Pamela Goldstein, vice president of operations at Nevada-based Humidity Control Systems — maker of CoolerKING, an all-natural mineral filter — knows all

HANDLE WITH CARE

PREVENTING FOODBORNE ILLNESSES

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COMMERCIAL KITCHENS / FOOD SERVICE | CHURCH EXECUTIVE | 27

the ins and outs. This filter was designed solely to help create an ideal food storage environment.

“Once the filters are in place, a few good things happen,” she says. “Food stays fresher longer, it looks better, it smells better, and it tastes better.” Moreover, the filter neutralizes odors inside the cooler and reduces electrical consumption by as much as 20 percent, thereby extending the life of the equipment.

“Coolers are ideal environments for mold growth due to high moisture levels and temperature abuses resulting from frequent entries/exits and repair shut downs,” Goldstein explains. She cites USDA reports that show spoilage bacteria can, in some cases, double their numbers in as little as 20 minutes when excess

moisture and improper temperatures are present. “That’s why it’s important for churches operating

commercial kitchens to take the necessary steps to maintain proper temperature and humidity levels inside their cooler — so they can reduce the risk of foodborne illnesses,” she adds. “Many churches organize dinners and meals for fundraising or to feed the homeless and need to make their budgets stretch. The last thing they want is to throw away food that has spoiled unnecessarily or to be spending more money than necessary to run their coolers.” n

(Photo provided by Midwest Church Design Ltd.)

The 37,500-square-foot commercial kitchen at Hope Baptist Church in Toledo, OH, includes a three-compartment sink, ansul hood and gas ranges.

Page 28: Church Executive Magazine presents: Kitchen Food Service eBook