A busy restaurant manager recently asked me: "My staff needs food safety training, but external courses cost €200 per person – can't I just teach them myself?" The answer isn't straightforward. You can handle some trainings internally while others legally require external certification.
What can you train yourself?
You can teach plenty of practical food safety to your team. These are mainly the daily routines and procedures that are specific to your kitchen.
? Example internal training:
Daily HACCP procedures in your kitchen:
- Measuring and recording refrigeration temperatures
- Proper storage of ingredients
- Cleaning routines per workstation
- Identifying and labeling allergens
This takes you 30 minutes per new employee.
- HACCP procedures: How you measure, store, and record temperatures
- Allergen information: Which dishes contain which allergens
- Cleaning protocols: Timing and methods for each cleaning task
- Storage and preservation: Fridge organization, FIFO principle
- Personal hygiene: Hand washing, clothing standards, jewelry policies
What do you need to outsource?
For official certifications and legal requirements, you need external trainings. You can't provide these yourself, even if you know the material inside and out.
⚠️ Note:
Certifications like SVH Social Hygiene can't be issued by you. These require recognized training institutions and official exams.
- SVH Social Hygiene: Mandatory for managers, must be external
- HACCP certification: For those responsible for the HACCP system
- First aid: Official first aid course
- Fire safety: Recognized fire safety training
Cost comparison
The choice between internal and external training significantly impacts your training budget.
? Example cost calculation:
Team of 8 employees:
- SVH course external: 8 × €125 = €1,000
- Internal HACCP training: 4 hours your time = €120
- Allergen training external: 8 × €75 = €600
- Allergen training internal: 1 hour your time = €30
Savings internal training: €570 per year
How do you organize internal training?
Internal training works most effectively with a systematic approach. Skip the ad hoc explanations – structure saves time and improves retention.
- Create a checklist: What does every new employee need to know?
- Schedule fixed times: For example, every Monday morning 15 minutes
- Document everything: Who learned what and exactly when?
- Test knowledge: Have employees explain what they've learned
- Repeat regularly: Knowledge fades without reinforcement
? Practical approach:
New employee first week:
- Day 1: Tour + basic hygiene (30 min)
- Day 2: Show HACCP procedures (20 min)
- Day 3: Go through allergens (15 min)
- Day 5: Repeat everything + questions (15 min)
Total: 80 minutes spread over the week
Registration and proof
You must prove that training occurred regardless of your approach. From years of working in professional kitchens, I've learned that inspectors always ask for documentation first. And they're thorough about it.
- External training: Keep certificates (minimum 2 years)
- Internal training: Maintain your own detailed records
- Date and content: Document exactly when who learned what
- Signature: Have employee confirm they completed the training
Digital tracking systems can help you keep training records organized, so you can quickly demonstrate compliance during inspections.
Related articles
How do you set up a training plan? (step by step)
Inventory what is mandatory
Check which certifications are legally required for your type of business. SVH Social Hygiene is usually mandatory for managers. Make a list of external trainings you can't avoid.
Determine what you can train yourself
Create a checklist of practical skills that are specific to your kitchen. Think of HACCP procedures, allergen information, and cleaning protocols that you can explain perfectly yourself.
Schedule training times
Reserve fixed times for training, for example every Monday morning 15 minutes. For new employees, schedule 4 short sessions of 15-20 minutes in the first week instead of one long session.
Record everything you do
Keep track of who received which training and when. This applies to external certificates and internal trainings. During inspections, you must be able to demonstrate that your team has been trained.
✨ Pro tip
Schedule internal refreshers every 90 days for your core team – I've found this prevents the most common violations during health inspections. Takes just 20 minutes but saves you from costly compliance issues.
Calculate this yourself?
In the KitchenNmbrs app you can do this in just a few clicks. 7 days free, no credit card.
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Frequently asked questions
Can I train SVH Social Hygiene myself?
How much time does internal training take per employee?
Can I provide allergen training myself?
Sources consulted
- EU Verordening 852/2004 — Levensmiddelenhygiëne (2004) — Official source
- EU Verordening 853/2004 — Hygiënevoorschriften voor levensmiddelen van dierlijke oorsprong (2004) — Official source
- EU Verordening 1169/2011 — Voedselinformatie aan consumenten (2011) — Official source
- NVWA — Hygiënecode voor de horeca (2024) — Official source
- NVWA — Allergenen in voedsel (2024) — Official source
- Codex Alimentarius — International Food Standards (2024) — Official source
- FSA — Safer food, better business (HACCP) (2024) — Official source
- BVL — Lebensmittelhygiene (HACCP) (2024) — Official source
- Warenwetbesluit Bereiding en behandeling van levensmiddelen (2024) — Official source
- WHO — Foodborne diseases estimates (2024) — Official source
Food Standards Agency (FSA) — https://www.food.gov.uk
The HACCP standards shown in this application are for informational purposes only. KitchenNmbrs does not guarantee that displayed values are current or complete. Always consult the FSA or your local authority for the latest regulations.
Written by
Jeffrey Smit
Founder & CEO of KitchenNmbrs
Jeffrey Smit built KitchenNmbrs from 8 years of hands-on experience as kitchen manager at 1NUL8 Group in Rotterdam. His mission: give every restaurant owner control over food cost.
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