What Does "Clean, Separate, Cook, Chill" Mean to You?

If you work in or own a restaurant or even care a lot about your own home kitchen cooking, then you’ve probably heard of Clean, Separate, Cook, Chill. Those four words could mean a lot to you, or very little. Although hopefully, it’s a lot.

Those four words could be the difference between life or death for some people. For others, it could be the difference between gas or no gas. But that’s not something anyone should gamble with. Clean, Separate, Cook, and Chill all refer to the process to keep foodborne illnesses at bay as much as possible.

Clean the surfaces and products you work with in the kitchen. That means getting rid of crumbs, sanitizing the tables, cleaning the cookware, doing the dishes, and more. Cleaning your space is essential for minimizing the likelihood of any illnesses, but it’s extra important when working with food.

Separate your food when you’re preparing it and storing it. You should use separate cutting boards for different food categories. There are colour-coded cutting boards available to help with remembering which board to use for what. You also want to use separate containers to store different food items. Some food requires air-tight packaging, and other food requires more breathable packaging. Do what is best for your food and your stomach and always separate things as needed.

Cook everything correctly, especially meat. Medium rare steaks are so delicious, but you need to cook them properly in order to safely enjoy it. Chicken is dangerous when eaten undercooked. Use a thermometer to check the internal temperature of your meat before eating it to make sure it’s safe from viruses and bacteria.

Chill your food properly in a refrigerator or freezer. There is a danger zone between 4°C and 60°C that you need to keep all food out of. That temperature allows mould and bacteria to run rampant in your food and develop much faster. You should make sure your fridge and freezer are standing at the correct temperature at all times by using thermometers to keep track.

These four words are essential to keeping your restaurant doors open and keeping your stomach happy and healthy from food-borne illnesses. If they don’t mean a whole lot to you, make the changes necessary to prioritize those four words in your kitchen.