This is a blog post from our friend in France, Albert Amgar, translated by Kansas State French professor Amy Hubbell and the students in FREN 530: French Translation.
Labels, logos, and scores on doors have come up several times on this blog.
According to leParisien.fr on February 24, 2010 in "Asian restaurants are asked to take more care with their cooking," the Asian restaurant union is asking 12,000 caterers and restaurateurs to improve their food safety and quality. Their goal is to improve their ratings and it is not being met.
The “Quality Asia” label was created in October 2005 and it is given to Asian, Chinese, Japanese or Vietnamese restaurants and caterers whose cleanliness is certified. Five years later, only 12 addresses in the Parisian region and 5 in the rest of France (primarily in the North – AA) have been awarded this label. That’s a small number considering there are 12,000 food professionals in France and 8,000 in the Parisian region alone.
According to the website of the Asian Restaurant and Catering Union, the first audit is performed by an independent agency that checks the establishments’ performance and gives certification.
What is included in the Quality Asia Label?
– Welcoming guests according to traditions
– Offering and cooking Asian flavors from different regions according to European regulations
– Following the guidelines on the Quality Charter
– Submitting to a quality control every two years
– Making comment cards available to clients
What are the criteria for quality?
The first audit checks 142 control points of which 30 are reserved for the kitchen. These points are aimed at the welcome, the quality of management, service, delivery, proportion of quality to price, general cleanliness, general ambiance, facilities, materials, equipment, storage, preparation, expiration dates, traceability, safety and many other elements that ensure quality to the clients.
To be given the label, the food professional must receive 85% on the evaluation.
A new test is given every two years to check changes in the establishment and to ascertain whether the service is consistent with the label requirements and the demands of Quality Charter.
Restaurants with the label are recognized in several ways that attest to their quality:
How can you spot them? There are several ways: the logo, the Quality Charter, the certificate, and the customer satisfaction cards. You can find the restaurants here.