Kitchen opening and closing checks (SFBB-style)

Make the checks fit the shift

Opening and closing checks should describe the kitchen that is actually in use, not a copied list that staff tick without looking. Give the form a site label, date, shift and person completing it. Record exceptions where they happen so the next person sees what needs attention.

Use the checklist alongside your food-safety management system and, where relevant, the Safer Food, Better Business diary. A digital sheet can make the record legible, but it does not replace the procedures or decisions that sit behind the checks. Check the appropriate guidance for your UK nation.

• Kitchen/site label and date
• Shift or opening/closing check
• Name or initials of the person checking

Opening: record a clear starting point

At opening, check fridge and freezer temperatures, the probe thermometer, staff fitness to work, clean surfaces and signs of pests. Record actual temperature readings rather than an “OK” that cannot be compared with the next shift. Any concern should be handled under your own food-safety procedure.

The probe thermometer check should be recorded clearly enough to show what was checked and the outcome. Staff fitness-to-work checks should avoid unnecessary personal detail in a shared form. The record needs the result and action appropriate to your procedure, not unrelated health information.

• Fridge and freezer temperatures
• Probe thermometer checked
• Staff fit to work
• Clean surfaces and pest checks
• Exceptions and actions

Closing: leave evidence for the next team

At closing, check that food is covered, labelled and dated, waste is removed and cleaning is completed. Record temperatures and sign off the shift. If a cleaning task cannot be completed, explain why and what was done next rather than leaving a box unchecked with no context.

A closing record is most useful when the opening team can see unresolved items. Keep the action and the person informed in the same record. Do not silently replace a failed answer with a pass later; a follow-up note or new check preserves the reason for the action.

• Food covered, labelled and dated
• Waste removed
• Cleaning tasks completed
• Temperature readings recorded
• Named closing sign-off

Keep cleaning and allergens visible

A cleaning schedule sign-off can record daily and weekly tasks, products used and the person completing the work. Link exceptions to the opening or closing record where helpful so a manager does not have to reconstruct the shift from several separate messages.

The 14 major allergens need reliable dish and ingredient information and staff briefing. An allergen check records what was verified; it is not a guarantee that a dish is free of an allergen. Update checks when ingredients or dishes change and follow the business’s procedure for customer enquiries.

Use the free kitchen opening and closing template with the cleaning sign-off and allergen check. The temperature log can carry readings and corrective-action notes, including the JobForms “Needs attention” warning when a chosen range is exceeded. A warning helps highlight an exception but does not decide whether food is safe.

If a daily schedule suits the kitchen, the template offers an opt-in suggested check. Free permits two active schedules with in-app reminders; automatic reminder emails are a paid feature. Keep the digital record or printable PDF with the rest of your food-safety records and review the procedure whenever the operation changes.