The Day After...

Well, for those of you that are wondering...today was much better in my "food safety world".  No expired products in the meeting room.  Lunch was delivered 10 minutes early.  And, the room was a bit warmer.  Halleluiah!  I had almost 50 students each of the past two days, they were great!  I still wonder, how someone in the hospitality business can make so many errors in one day?  I didn't even see the Sales Manager or the General Manager and this is a major account for them.  I really think an apology was in order.  Odds are we won't go back to this facility.  I wonder if they'll notice?

Oh well, we live and learn.  On to my next issue...I'm supposed to be on a flight from BWI to Tennessee tomorrow for a class in Memphis on Friday.  They've already cancelled the first flight and booked me on another...arriving much later.  I guess we'll see what happens.  If we get the snow they're predicting...I doubt the airlines are going to fly anywhere!  It'll be the first time I've missed a scheduled training in eight years.   I really don't want that to happen.

Check out my Facebook page to learn how to keep your food safe if the power goes out...https://www.facebook.com/FoodSafetyTrainingSolutions

Stay safe and warm!

REALLY? Expired Product In A Food Safety Class???

Oh my, how time flies!  And, what a day I've had...Teaching a private food safety certification class today in PA.  A full class - over 40 participants.  Hotel meeting room is frigid, students had on their coats, a few had on mittens, their noses were red.  Creamers had an expiration date of November 2013 - did they not know this was a food safety certification class...I go to the front desk, inform them of the issue and ask them to turn up the heat.  For a few minutes, the room warms up, yay!  Wait, don't get too excited - it shuts off - out come the coats and the mittens again...how can I focus? How can they focus?!  Once again, I go to the front desk and tell them we're freezing.  Ahhh, a few more minutes of warmth.  The creamers have been replaced with product that is in code.  Is it lunch time yet?  No not yet.  Once again, freezing.  Lunch is to be delivered at noon.  I pop in a video, at 12:05 it's finished.  Hmmm, the front desk must have forgotten to let me know that lunch has arrived.  I send everyone to the lobby for lunch...If I don't give the break now, I will be in violation of the required break policy...Uh oh, there's NO LUNCH!  %#!, this can't be.  Front desk calls the restaurant, driver is making deliveries - should be here anytime.  A few minutes go by, five, ten, twenty minutes, I'm getting evil glances.  UGH, what am I going to do?  We call the restaurant, once again we are informed that they are on their way. It's been 30 minutes, still no lunch...again, this is a food safety class - is lunch in a cooler or on the back seat of a heated car.  Let's get class started again so we don't fall behind.  One o'clock comes and goes...I can't focus.  Where the hell is their lunch???  Front desk makes another call, they'll be here in one minute.  Another five, ten, fifteen minutes still no lunch...OMG, I can't believe this!  Finally, an hour and forty minutes late - lunch arrives!  Room is still cold and we're out of coffee...will this day ever end?!  I cut my class a break, it's been a rough day.  I let them leave early.  Can't wait to get to my room to crank up the heat.  I don't think I'll ever be warm again! 

The heat in my room won't go over 70 degrees Fahrenheit.  I know that seems reasonable but you don't understand how cold I am.

Tomorrow, I think I'll suggest the hotel manager sit in on the class; for two reasons, understanding importance of keeping product rotated and so he can venture out of his office to see how flippin' cold that meeting room is....wish me luck!