Audit

An audit is a systematic, documented examination of an operation, process or management system to determine whether it meets specified requirements and is working effectively. In foodservice, audits may examine food safety, sanitation, quality, inventory, purchasing, financial controls or overall operational performance.

Types of restaurant and food-safety audits

• Internal audit: conducted by the business or its designated team to check its own procedures and performance.
• External audit: performed by a customer, certification body, corporate group or independent auditor.
• Food-safety audit: reviews hazards, controls, sanitation, temperature records, allergen management, training and corrective actions.
• Operational audit: may review recipe compliance, portion control, purchasing, inventory, labour practices and service standards.

How an audit is conducted

1. Define the audit scope, criteria and period being reviewed.
2. Review relevant procedures, records and previous findings.
3. Observe actual work practices and inspect relevant areas or equipment.
4. Interview employees and verify that procedures are understood and followed.
5. Record objective evidence, identify non-conformities and assign corrective actions.
6. Follow up to confirm that actions were completed and effective.

Audit versus inspection

An inspection often focuses on the condition of a premises, product or activity at a particular point in time. An audit takes a broader, structured look at whether a system and its controls meet defined criteria and operate consistently. Regulatory inspections and audits can overlap, but they are not always the same process.

Example: A restaurant conducts a monthly internal food-safety audit by reviewing cooler logs, date labels, sanitation records, handwashing facilities, staff training and corrective actions, then assigns an owner and deadline to each finding.

Chef’s tip: An audit should lead to improvement, not just a completed checklist. Record evidence clearly, distinguish isolated errors from recurring system failures and verify that corrective actions solve the underlying problem.