Food safety questions, answered by someone who's run a kitchen.

The ServSafe Manager Certification issued by the National Restaurant Association is valid for five years from the exam date. Plan recertification before it expires so your operation is never without a current certified manager.

Under Pennsylvania's Food Employee Certification Act, licensed food facilities must have at least one certified supervisory employee, and local health departments may set additional requirements. In practice that means the manager or supervisor responsible for food safety in a restaurant, cafeteria, senior-living or healthcare kitchen, school, daycare, market, truck or commissary. For the official requirements, see the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture or your local licensing authority. Culinary Standard is an independent training provider and does not represent any health department or regulatory agency.

Class length and the exam schedule are listed for each session on the Classes page. Public classes are designed to complete the course and the proctored exam in one scheduled session.

Each class listing states exactly what your registration includes, including whether the proctored exam and exam fee are part of it. Nothing is hidden until the day of class.

Retake options and any associated cost are explained at registration and in class so you know exactly what to do next. Contact Culinary Standard for the current retake process.

Yes. Focused recertification sessions with a proctored exam are offered for managers whose certificate is expiring. See recertification.

ServSafe is a program of the National Restaurant Association. Culinary Standard delivers ServSafe Manager training and administers the exam; the certificate itself is issued by the National Restaurant Association.

Yes. On-site training brings the class, and the exam where applicable, to your restaurant, facility, school or commissary. See on-site & group training.

On-site classes are available for groups of five or more. Pricing and available dates are confirmed when you inquire. If your group is smaller than five, Jim will tell you whether a public class is the better option.

The core service area is Bucks County, Pennsylvania and surrounding areas. Travel beyond that is considered case by case depending on the group and schedule. Include your location in your inquiry.

Yes. Team food-safety training covering hand washing, glove use, temperatures, labeling, allergens and cleaning is available for cooks, servers, dietary aides and support staff who do not need the manager certificate.

Yes. A pre-inspection walkthrough reviews the things inspectors consistently look for so you can correct them first. Culinary Standard is independent, is not affiliated with any health department and does not guarantee inspection outcomes. See food safety consulting.

Receiving, storage, labeling and dating, temperature control, preparation and cross-contamination, cleaning and sanitation, employee practices, hand sinks, chemical storage, logs and documentation, and management routines. You receive a prioritized, plain-language summary.

Yes. Standard operating procedures, temperature and cooling logs, receiving checklists and cleaning schedules can be written or revised to fit your kitchen so they actually get used.

Yes. Certification & renewal management keeps every certified manager's expiration date on record and coordinates recertification before anything lapses. Scope and pricing are agreed per organization.

Food safety training and consulting for restaurants and commercial food-service operations: ServSafe Manager certification and recertification, private on-site training, pre-inspection walkthroughs, food-safety assessments, SOP development and certification renewal management. All of it delivered by Jim, a former restaurant owner-operator.

Bucks County, Pennsylvania, serving the county and surrounding areas.

Jim, the founder of Culinary Standard and former owner-operator of TRE Fratelli. Read more about Jim.

Use the contact form, choose the service you are interested in and you will hear back directly. Phone and email are listed on the contact page.