Thinking of hiring a caterer? Restaurant & Catering New South Wales have taken the lead in raising the standards in the catering industry through the introduction of the Gold Licence Catering Scheme, a self-regulating industry initiative. It is currently the only government-backed scheme, and many venues and government tenders insist on Gold Licence Accreditation. The cheapest deal is not necessarily the safest! When hiring a caterer there are a few important questions you need to ask: Is the food being prepared safely in a commercial kitchen and transported to your venue in a way that minimises food poisoning? Has the caterer and their staff been trained in safe food handling? Does the caterer have public and product liability insurance so that if there is a problem, you are well covered? Is the caterer's staff covered for workers compensation, so that if one of their employees has an accident in your home, they are covered by insurance? A GOLD LICENCE caterer can set your mind at ease. A GOLD LICENCE protects you from "fly-by-night" operations and is your guarantee of a quality product. GOLD LICENCE Caterer must have the following: 1. COMMERCIAL KITCHEN It is a legal requirement for all commercial caterers to have a commercial kitchen for the preparation of food, adequate refrigeration for food storage, appropriate facilities for the transportation of food and the handling of food on site 2. UP-TO-DATE AND RELEVANT INSURANCES It is imperative that a caterer provides for the adequate protection of consumers by taking public and product liability and workers compensation insurances 3. TRAINING AND/OR EXPERIENCE GOLD LICENCE caterers must have or employ a senior person who has five years experience within the hospitality industry, in food preparation or catering management, or an employee who has a trade qualification in cooking 4. MANDATORY FOODSAFE HANDLING Implementation of Food Safe - Food Handling Training 5. MANDATORY RESPONSIBLE SERVICE OF ALCOHOL CERTIFICATION From a LAB provider