“The main goal is to help with consumer safety,” Program Director Sofia Hernandez said. “When you have somebody that comes into your restaurant, you don't want any food that they consume to be contaminated in any way.”
Hernandez and her husband Kevin started Food Service Prep in 2020. The couple wanted to start their own business and because Hernandez has a degree in occupational health and safety, safe food handling felt like a great fit. The company is based out of Austin, but because the courses are offered virtually, anyone in the U.S. can receive their food handlers certificate through Food Service Prep.
How it benefits job seekers
Food Service Prep offers ANSI National Accreditation Board (ANAB) accredited Texas Food Handler training. This certification is a must-have for anyone looking to work in the food service industry in Texas.
“It takes about an hour to an hour and a half to complete the class and then you will have the certificate for two years,” Hernandez said.
The course teaches employees how to prevent food-borne illnesses. People who take the course will learn how to correctly wash their hands, how to properly clean and sanitize a kitchen, how to prevent cross contamination and other essential skills.
Food Service Prep offers their course 100% online. This allows employees to complete their certification whenever it is convenient for them.
What makes it unique
“We are nationally accredited through ANAB,” Hernandez said. “The program meets the highest standards, so you can be confident you are getting superior quality training."
When an employee receives training through Food Service Prep, their certificate is valid nationally so if they move to a new state, their certificate will carry over.
Hernandez said Food Service Prep keeps the cost of the course low to make it accessible. She said many people taking the course are in high school or college looking for a job to support themselves while they are in school.
“You don't want it to be out of reach,” she said. “You want to be able to help as many people as possible to get that job as a server, waitress or bartender.”
Food Service Prep also offers the food handler training in Spanish, making it accessible to employees who do not speak English as their first language.
How it benefits employers
The online course benefits employers as well. The Food Service Prep website has an employer account feature, which allows employers to purchase classes for their team members and track each person’s progress.
“If you purchase in bulk, we offer discounts starting at just five courses, so you'll get an automatic discount when you purchase them all at one time,” she said. “You'll be given a voucher for each course that you've purchased and you can email it out to each team member.
As a manager, you can log into our manager's view and you can see each employee who is currently still in progress of the course and who hasn't taken it.”
Hernandez said it is helpful to have all of this information in one place, especially when a health and safety inspector comes to evaluate the restaurant.
Working with alcohol
For job seekers interested in working in bars, restaurants, or anywhere that serves alcohol in Texas, Food Service Prep provides TABC seller/server certification.
This certification equips employees with the skills needed for responsible alcohol service, compliance with Texas alcohol laws and ensuring the safety of both customers and staff.
The TABC training teaches employees:
- the laws regarding alcohol service,
- the penalties for failing to follow those laws,
- techniques on how to say no and refuse service
- and when to stop serving a customer.
To learn more about how Food Service Prep can benefit you, visit their website at www.foodserviceprep.com.
The above story was produced by Multi-Platform Journalist Mary Katherine Shapiro with Community Impact's Storytelling team with information solely provided by the local business as part of their "sponsored content" purchase through our advertising team.
