Hōtoke Winter 2025

Food business tips and reminders

There's plenty to love about winter as the chill sets in—busy schedules slow and there's more time to connect with loyal locals. Cheers to that! The Matariki public holiday is no doubt inspiring menu creations across the district, to give those who brave the outdoors a special treat for their tastebuds. Check out our tips and reminders to serve up a great season.

Tips and tricks

Did you know?

QR codes in the

Template Food Control Plans (TFCP) can save you time when looking into a process.

Using your phone go to the camera,

hover over the QR code and click on the screen, a link will pop up. Press the link to access a webpage with the specific information you need.

Did you know?

Meats such as beef, lamb and venison can be served rare but must be seared before serving and be eaten straight away (e.g. at the table) according to the TFCP.

Pork must be cooked medium or well-done, however, while there are no specific temperature parameters provided in TFCP. It should be cooked at 63°C or above.

Did you know?

If you and your staff ferment or acidify your food to make it safe, there are pH rules you need to meet.

Check out the using acid to control bugs topic in your TFCP (pages 77-79).

You must use a food grade pH meter that's able to be calibrated.

Food grade pH meters vary in price, it is up to you which one you choose.

Remember to keep the manufacturer’s manual as the inspector will be checking this against the calibration records.

Power out - what next?

So you can power on...



Power outages are a challenge for any food business, but you can reduce the severity of an outage by being prepared.

A power outage plan should be incorporated into staff training so everyone is on the same page when

an outage strikes.

Food safety handling tips to help

Keep your chillers and freezers closed. Food will stay safe in the chillers or refrigerators for 4 hours if the doors remain closed and food will stay safe for 48 hours in the freezers.

Check the temperature of your appliances and food. 

Use a thermometer to check the temperature of your chillers/fridges which should not be above 5C and for freezers above -18C. Discard any perishable food that has been above 5C for more than 2 hours in the chillers.

Evaluate each item. 

If in doubt, throw the food. Discard food with an unusual smell, colour, or showing signs of spoilage.

Alternative cooling. 

If the outage is prolonged, transfer perishable items to coolers or chilly bins with ice or frozen gel packs to keep them at 5C or below.

Grease danger in the kitchen

How to avoid 'grease lightning'

It's a serious fire hazard if grease builds up in commercial kitchens—not just a cleaning issue. Many food business operators underestimate the risks of neglecting their hood and exhaust systems, by waiting too long between cleanings.

Over time, cooking grease accumulates not only in the hood but in the ductwork (including in unseen ducts leading to the fan on the roof), and exhaust fans too. This creates a highly flammable environment. When temperatures rise even a small spark can ignite a fire. 

A grease fire can spread rapidly, feeding on the layers of oil and fat that have built up over time. Without proper maintenance, operators are risking not only their property but their staff and customer safety too.