New Catering Businesses

Prince GeorGe’s county requires All cAterers Must• NOToperatefromaprivateresidenceor

unlicensedkitchen

• employatleastoneworkerwithavalidPrinceGeorge’s County Certified Food Service ManagerCard

• submitcateringfacilityplans(includingkitchenequipment,cateringequipment,operationstorageandrefrigeration)totheHealthDepartmentpriortonewoperation.Thefacility must have sufficient food storage and refrigerationspace

• operateandprepareallfoodsandbeveragesfromalicensedfacilitykitchen

• obtainallfoodanddrinksfromHealthDepartmentapprovedsourcescoveredunderaroutineinspectionprogram

• NOTusefoodsordrinksthathavebeenstored,preparedand/orcookedinaprivateresidenceorunlicensedkitchen

• wash,sanitizeandstoreallequipmentandutensilsatalicensedfacility

• indicatethecaterer’sPrinceGeorge’sCountyFood Service Facility Identification Number on allpublicationsspecifyingthebusinessnameforthegeneralpublic(i.e.businesscards,contracts,print media, flyers, brochures)

• transportfoodssafelyatproperholdingtemperaturestothelocationserved,invehiclesthataremaintainedinacleanandsanitarymanner

• providealistofcatereingevents(name,datetime,numberofpeople)monthlytotheHealthDepartment

• assurethattoiletandhandwashingfacilitiesareavailablewithinareasonabledistanceatalltimestofoodserviceworkers

contAct inforMAtionif you are interested in opening a new catering business and need more details:

Food Protection ProgramDivisionofEnvironmentalHealthLargoGovernmentCenter9201 Basil Court, Suite 318LargoMD20774

Office: 301-883-7690Fax: 301-883-7601TDD for the hearing impaired 301-883-5025foodprotectionprogram@co.pg.md.us

Food Protection ProgramDivision of EnvironmentalHealthPrinceGeorge’sCountyHealthDepartmentOffice: 301-883-7690 Fax: 301-883-7601TDD for the hearing impaired 301-883-5025 www.princegeorgescountymd.gov

JACK B. JOHNSONCOUNTY EXECUTIVE

operating A catering Businessin Prince GeorGe’s county

the role of your heAlth DePArtMent in fooD ProtectionOneveryimportantroleofyourlocalhealthdepartmentistoprotect the general public’s health by licensing and monitoring the facilities and operations of businesses that prepare and serve food and beverages.Therequirementsthatfoodhandlersmustadhereto are specified by County law and enforced throughroutineinspections.

Personal chefsare not regulated by the health Department.Apersonalchefisanindividualwhoishiredtoprepareand/orservefoodsataprivatefunction.Personalchefsusethehomeowner’sfoodsandonlypreparethosefoods in the homeowner’s private kitchen. It is recommendedthatanyonewhoisinterestedinbecomingapersonalchefattendafoodsafetycourse.

All caterers must be licensed by the health Department as a food service facility.

Acatererisapersonorpersonswhoprepares,delivers,serves,supplysandtransportsfoodanddrinkstopublicevents.

There are two types of caterers:

1. licensed restaurants and other food service businesses that operate from a fixed facility or locationmayprovidecateringservicesfromthatfacility.

2. caterers contracting to use a licensed kitchen.

Bothtypesofcaterersmustpossesslicensestolegallyoperatetheirbusinesses.

heAlth DePArtMent cAterinG requireMentsPeoplecanbecomeillfromconsumingfoodsanddrinksthatarenothandledproperlyduringstorage,preparation,transportorserving.Throughtheprocessingoffoodservicefacilitypermitapplicationsandtheperformanceofroutinefoodservicefacilityinspections, the Prince George’s county health Department assures that safe food handling requirements are met to protect the public’s health at all times. Facility licenses are issuedaccordingly.

APrince George’s county food service Facility Identification Number isassignedwhena Food Service Facility permit/license is issued.

All caterers must have a Certified Food Service Manager on staff in order to be licensed.Alistofinstructorscanbeobtainedfrom the Food Protection Program. A Prince George’s County Health Department Certified food service Manager cardisissuedtothosewhocompletethetrainingandpassoneofthe nationally approved exams.