Receiving Procedures and Protocol
The following rules and procedures must be followed for receiving
and stocking. The purpose of receiving is to ensure that the food
supplies delivered match established quality and quantity
specifications.
Procedure: 
The receiving purchaser will review the order list and par levels before the
delivery.
When the product comes in the receiver must check every item in
accordance with the list in the presence of the delivery person.
Quality spot checking all the product by looking under and through the
cases to see for damage or blemished items e.g., broken items, bloated cans
or any visible expiry dates which are incorrect.
Check for correct counts and weights for the product in accordance with the
order list.
Record and communicate with the company and delivery person for any
secondary deliveries for product items.
Note: Specify time of second delivery for accountability. (before 11 am)
Sign invoice and return secondary and tertiary copies in the correct area for
tracking purposes.
Store items immediately in the allocated and appropriate places.
Rotate the inventory using the FIFO method.
NOTE: When the delivery arrives select a Sous Chef for assistance to provide
information on the required standard of delivery quality. This is an ongoing
training session so a Sous chef must be present during this process.
Vendors must be held accountable for the 8AM to 11 am delivery time.
Receivers must be on the premises by 8 am.
If there is any doubt that the product is wrongly ordered or not good enough
for our standards and the receiver is not comfortable enough to make the
call, please consult Sous chef on duty or call the chef immediately. Do not
make the wrong decision. Call the chef and let him decide. All the mobile
numbers for the chefs will be provided to the receiving and purchasing staff.
All protein prices will be posted in the receiving area on Monday. Compare
invoice prices to the bid price. This is important as some vendors may
increase price during the week, and we must hold them accountable for the
price promised to us on Monday. Price week runs from Tuesday through
Monday.
All receivers will be trained to become highly knowledgeable in identifying
all products. The purchaser and the chef will hold little training sessions a
few times a week.
All invoices must be placed designated invoice area.
If the receiver feels that a product was received and is not on invoice,
contact the vendor immediately and inform the chef.
Lost invoices create a lot of problems for accounting, and it is extremely
important to be on top of it
Vendors will be more than happy to email copies of the invoices to us.
Under no circumstances should merchandise be received without an invoice
unless expressly authorized by a superior (chef or sous chef). Such
authorization must not be verbal.
The Receiving Process
Inspect the delivery and check it against the order sheets.
Inspect each item for quality, freshness, and quantity specified on the
invoice.
All proteins are to be weighed. Fish weights on the invoice are going to be
pre-butchered weights. Weigh the bones as well.
Accept the order only if the specifications are met. If in doubt consult Sous
chef on duty.
Fish should be iced down and put away immediately!
Whole Fish
• Look for bright, clear eyes in whole fish, is the fish bright and
shiny or dull and discolored.
• Smell the fish. Fresh fish will smell like clean water, or a bit
briny or a bit like cucumbers. Under no circumstances should
one accept delivery of bad smelling fish.
Fish Fillet
• Look for vibrant flesh. If the filet still has skin, it should look the
same as the skin on a whole fish, shiny and metallic.
• Smell the fish. There should be no pungent aromas.
• If there is liquid on the meat it should be clear and if it is milky,
it is the first sign of rot.
• Press the meat with your finger. Your fingerprint should
disappear. If it does not it is a clear indication that the fish is
old.
• Scallops should arrive dry-packed which means that they are
packed without the white liquid. Check for the size specified on
the invoice.
Chicken
• Chicken should be pink. If the chicken has grey or transparent
skin, it is not good. Smell the chicken. If it is pungent, we do
not want to bring it in our store.
• Stick a Thermometer in each box of chicken piercing through
some of the meat, the temperature for receiving it is 40
degrees or below. If the temperature is above 45 degrees, you
must refuse the delivery.
• If the chicken has tears on its skin or if there is a lot of blood in
the packaging it means that it has been mishandled or it could
also mean that the meat has been frozen and thawed multiple
times.
• Press against the chicken skin. Fresh chicken skin will spring
back.
Meat
• Most of our meat comes vacuum packed. Check for the
coloration. If it has grayish or bluish discoloration it may not
be good. Again, smell it. That should be a good indicator of the
quality of the meat.
Produce
• Open the box of the product and look for visible signs of
bruising, holes, scratches, or surface imperfections.
• Look for mushiness, mold, and bugs.
• In lettuce and greens look for brown edges and yellow
discolorations. Check stems and leaves. Romaine should never
be too green. We want it to be light in color.
• Check mushroom boxes for wetness or rot.
• Smell the produce. Fresh produce will not have any pungent
aromas.
• Another wonderful way to test the quality of produce is to check
the top of the fruit or the vegetable. If there are any signs of
spoilage at the root where the fruit or the vegetable was
attached to the plant, there will surely be rot beneath.
• No produce should feel soft or mushy.
All produce and herbs should be removed from packaging and placed
in clean clear Cambro and then put away in the produce box as
quickly as possible
• Dairy
• Check milk, cream, yogurt etc... packaging for leaks.
• Check expiration date.
• When putting it away always observe FIFO (first in, first out)
• Check the packaging of egg cartons. Look for broken eggs.
• Make sure all cheese products are sealed properly.
• Anything that has been exposed is not to be accepted.
• Check cheese for mold spots.
Dry Goods and Frozen
Check for dented or bulging can.
Frozen products should be checked for freezer burn.
All frozen products are to be put away immediately.
Use FIFO (First in, first out)
Any open packages should be in closed Cambro or quart
containers and should be labeled.
It is especially important that once a defective product is
recognized and if you are not going to accept it call the vendor
right away, fill out an internal return memo and have the driver
issue you a credit slip.
It is particularly important that the receiving area, walk-in
boxes, dry pantry are kept clean.
Bring to the chef's attention any difficulties that you may be
experiencing with uncooperative staff.
Everything must be 6 inches off the ground.
The shelving must be kept clean.
Inform chef of any leaks from HVAC or unusual condensation in
the walk-ins or dry pantries.
All raw meat must be stored on the bottom shelf in a leakproof
Cambro.
All eggs must be kept on the bottom shelf.
Never store chemicals near food products.
I Have Read, Understand, and will abide By
the Rules and Regulations in This Job
Description
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