Guides

Food safety, in plain English

The rules independent restaurants actually get asked about, written out properly. Every figure is attributed to a named source, and where the rules genuinely don't settle something, these say so instead of inventing a number. Grouped by jurisdiction, because food safety law is not the same on both sides of the border.

Free to read, no account needed.

Canada

Who actually regulates your restaurant in Canada?

Most independent operators assume the CFIA inspects them. For a restaurant serving directly to the public, it almost certainly does not — and knowing which body does changes what you are held to.

5 min read

United States

How long do you have to keep food safety records?

The Food Code sets a retention period for a few specific records and is silent on the rest. Here is which is which — and how to find the rule that actually applies to you.

6 min read

The two-stage cooling rule, and why most kitchens miss the first stage

135°F to 70°F in two hours, then down to 41°F within six hours total. The second number is the one everyone quotes and the first is the one that fails.

5 min read

Looking for a blank log sheet instead? The free temperature log template is a printable sheet plus PDF and Excel downloads, with no account required.