Nutritionist-Dietitians' Association of the Philippines

Introduction. Cafeteria food eaten daily can lead to “taste bud fatigue” when there is a lack of food choices. It is even a challenge when the cafeteria services are operated by an outsourced foodservice vendor to provide high quality food and professional services. Objective. The foodservice operator must promote healthy eating among the staff and visitors. The operator should be able to conduct training and provide choices, quality and culinary standards. The operator must be able to work closely with the foodservice department to promote healthy eating. Background. The call for tender was carried out on 20th of December 2004. A total number of 29 foodservice operators bid for the tender but only 19 submitted the documents as of the closing date on 14th January 2005. Staff from the Institute were appointed as members of the tender evaluation committee. The function of this committee was to screen, evaluate and select the best six operators. The criteria for selection were on the company’s background, company’s catering proposal for the cafeteria, halal certification, fire safety and sanitation plan, and business proposition. Priority was given to operators that had or were in the process of achieving ISO and HACCP standard. An interview was conducted after the best six operators were chosen. Site visits were conducted and the committee decided on the best choice. Numerous discussions were held with the newly appointed operator to start off the operations and to improve the services based on continuous feedback and survey from the staff and visitors. Summary. Accomplishment of the objectives was possible because of positive interface between foodservice department and the operator. Good relationships were established through regular meetings. The spirit of teamwork, perseverance and determination to work smart were other important factors. This paper will discuss the achievements at the Congress.

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