Time to Consider How SOPs Will Change In the Wake of COVID-19

Ansley Golf Club’s Executive Chef Kevin Walker, CMC, poses sanitation questions for “The New Normal.”

While we are still in the throws of self-quarantining and social distancing, the time is now to think about the new norm. Members’ expectation of our sanitation practices is changing daily and we need to be out in front before being questioned.

How we serve, what vessels we use, and how we clean between seating guests all need to be reviewed and revised. Gone is the towel in the sani-bucket to clean every table, every time, for the entire shift. The condiment caddie on every table is now a dinosaur.  The plate wipe station may now be individualized and disposed of after every use.

Standard Operating Procedures will need to be rewritten and your staff will need to be retrained almost overnight. As soon as we re-open we must hit the floor (no pun intended) running. Will servers now need to wear latex gloves while serving food? How will we refill water glasses or deliver bar drinks? Will members expect all plates to be delivered covered? How often will you mandate sanitizing of all work areas? Will you implement new policies for employees who might be sick? How will you tell if they are sick or it’s just allergies? How about the ice scoop, broom and mop handles, kitchen cleaning and side towels? What is the new norm for these items?

These are just a few of the questions we should be tackling now.

What about buffets? Will we now schedule buffet attendants to serve the food to members or will they be wiping down and changing utensils every fifteen minutes? Maybe they go the way of the condiment caddie.

Perhaps holidays are now all a la carte? Imagine Santa Brunch in an a la carte setting. Will all your cocktail parties and dinner banquets now be all single serve dishes, built in the kitchen or done as stations? How does all this affect budgeting, payroll, private party and a la carte pricing?

As a leader in your club, you need to be asking these questions now and providing the answers.  The membership is looking to you for guidance.  This is how you stay ahead of the curve and cement your position as an expert in your field.