Food Hygiene Certificate - Further Information

Yacht Chefs

For chefs seeking work on yachts you are required to have the minimum of a Level 2 Food Hygiene Certificate that has been awarded via an invigilated examination. In 2006 the MLC (Maritime Labor Convention) proposed legislation mandating the certification of all chefs, food handlers and interior crew. The official legislation states:

• Those with responsibility for catering should be properly trained or instructed for their positions and have an adequate knowledge of food and personal hygiene to ensure that food is stored, stock rotated, handled, cooked and served safely and that good practice is clearly applied. Ships’ Cooks and other equivalent qualifications will include food hygiene training.
• Periodic assessments of the effectiveness of training or instructions should be made. Company and ship audits should be able to verify competency levels. If there is any evidence of poor hygiene practices, designated cooks or others working in the galley should receive refresher training or other appropriate food hygiene training.
• Catering staff should have an awareness of the potential problems associated with food allergy and intolerance and have a basic understanding of how to avoid cross contamination and of the importance of providing accurate information to the crew.

Food Safety (Hygiene) courses are available throughout Europe.

To find your nearest authorised trainer either visit the PYA website www.pya.org or contact your local environmental health department.

If you already hold a Food Safety (Hygiene) Certificate it is important that you check the certificate to see that the qualification number is recognised by the MCA.

The list of recognised qualifications can be seen here.

If your current certificate doesn’t have a qualification number that appears on this list then it probably won’t be accepted by the MCA. If you have any doubts you can email MCA with a copy of your certificate or telephone them and ask them to clarify your situation. Tel : +44 (0) 23 8032 9328 / Email: mlc@mcga.gov.uk / General Enquiries: infoline@mcga.gov.uk

If you already hold a Food Hygiene Certificate that is not accepted by the MCA and you are based in the UK you can call up your local environmental health department and ask about a “refresher” course which means you can sit the exam without having to do the full course. They also provide course literature which gives you all the information needed for the exam.

For Land Based Chefs

You are required by European Law to have a Food Hygiene Certificate if you are handling food in any type of catering environment. So if you don’t currently have one, it’s a good idea that you get one now!

For chefs not seeking yacht jobs, if you are not able to attend a course in person there are a couple of UK websites that provide quick & simple online courses for as little as €20 + VAT (approximately €28). It takes 2 hours to complete and you can spread the course out over multiple sessions or you can complete it in one single session. Plus there’s no time limit for completion. The course is followed by an online assessment upon successful completion of which you will be sent a Food Hygiene Certificate that meets EU Legal Requirements.

Please click on either of the following links for further details:

• https://cpdonline.co.uk/course/food-safety-hygiene-catering-level-2/ (Level 2)
• https://cpdonline.co.uk/course/food-safety-for-catering-level-3/ (Level 3)
• http://www.food-hygiene-certificate.co.uk/food-hygiene-training.aspx

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