The Federation of Hotel and Restaurant Associations of India (FHRAI), in collaboration with the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), has initiated a dedicated training programme on Covid-19 awareness for hospitality professionals across the country.
The programme aims to gear up hotel and restaurant players for a post lockdown scenario to ensure the safety of their guests and to instil customer confidence.
It covers training on precautions to be taken and procedures that establishments should ensure implementing including receiving of raw materials, guest service, lobby management, and rooms maintenance post the lockdown gets lifted.
FHRAI will conduct the trainings in collaboration with its training partner – Parikshan.
The first batch of the Food Safety Training and Certification (FoSTaC) programme for its members was held earlier this month.
The association is aiming at imparting this training to 4 to 5,000 hospitality professionals in the coming 3 to 6 months.
Gurbaxish Singh Kohli, VP, FHRAI, said, “The idea behind initiating this training programme is to have at least one senior staff thoroughly trained in safety, security and hygiene of an establishment. Once the lockdown is lifted, the trained staff will be in a position to impart knowledge to fellow staff in each section. The underlying objective of this programme ultimately is to ensure the health and safety of our guests. AtithiDevo Bhava and to us, our patron’s safety is paramount.
“The programme is being organised keeping in view the awareness requirements about the pandemic and necessary precautions that need to be taken by Food Business Operators (FBOs) before restarting their operations. FHRAI is organising these sessions to instill confidence in its members, guests, and the work force to prepare ourselves to tackle the post- pandemic situation,” he added.
The trainings will be conducted online using Zoom platform and the training team is being led by Dr V Pasupathy, national advisor, FHRAI, and FoSTaC diamond trainer.
Covid-19 has taken the entire world by surprise and has posed new challenges. Apart from the business challenges, the pandemic has also raised the need to redefine hospitality.
Government, with the help of experts has come out with guidelines broadly for the food industry and stays.
FSSAI, more specifically has issued guidelines on various food sectors including catering.
Pradeep Shetty, joint hon secretary, FHRAI, said, “The FHRAI being the apex body of the Indian hospitality Industry immediately took note of this. In partnership with Parikshan, FHRAI has scheduled a series of sessions in order to reach all its regional associations and through them, to thousands of its members. In addition to the webinars independently conducted on Covid-19 awareness by FHRAI, these certified awareness sessions are also important and we are very keen on promoting and learning from it.”
“The hospitality industry which is known for its hygiene and cleanliness standards, is sure to measure up to the emerging hygiene and sanitation demands of Covid-19 too,” he added.
The sessions will include video presentations, lecture, activities, chats and question-based discussions.
The participants can register themselves through the association to attend the sessions. After successful completion of the training, participants are recommended for certification issued by FSSAI through the training partner after verifying the individual’s credentials.
“The feedback post the first batch was overwhelming and many sessions have already been pre-booked and are lined up in the coming days. There are multiple trainers arranged by FHRAI in collaboration with Parikshan to conduct these trainings. The hospitality industry is committed and is sincerely working towards safety of the guests and staff,” added Kohli.