Every day as thousands of meals are prepared in our global kitchens there is one thing built into every recipe and every task.

Food safety and the proper care for food is always a first thought, never an option. Every associate who handles food is thoroughly trained in the science of food handling and the relationship of time and temperature as it relates to how we serve every meal.

In fact, a thermometer is a regular part of every cook's uniform globally; the kitchens in all of our brands perform internal audits and log temperatures of food in preparation and temperatures of coolers.

The first step in food safety is knowing where the food comes form, and we take every step to insure that the ingredients we buy are traceable and have the highest standards of quality, supply chain integrity, and source.

Doug Davis heads up our Food Safety protocols in his role as Director of Culinary, Food Safety. Doug is also a chef, and uses his knowledge of food preparation and food science to lead 

Global Food Safety (GFS). Using principles of HACCP (Hazard Analysis Critical Control Points), we carefully balance the intricate techniques needed to prepare beautifully chef-crafted food with food handling science in a way that creativity and quality never waver.

Recently, the US experienced another health scare with the distribution of an estimated 380 million eggs suspected of salmonella contamination. On the heels of similar issues with spinach, green onions, and hundreds of other issues, the very nature of mass distributed food caused great concern among the industry.

These issues are what drive our very tightly controlled purchasing protocols. Seafood from verified and sustainable sources, hamburger bacterial testing before shipping, vegetables and greens from known sources, at the delivery dock inspections, field visits, and multi-step food preparation redundant documentation are only a fraction of what our hotels do on a daily basis to insure our passion for great food grounded with the known science of how food should be handled safely.

As September is Global Safety and Security Month at Marriott, it is important to remember that our culinary teams dedicate themselves to the safe and healthy preparation of everything we make…every day, every meal, every plate.

My name is Brad Nelson and I am Marriott's corporate chef and vice president of culinary. I grew up in Seattle, Washington where I developed the passion for food that continues to follow me throughout my career. We savored the first salmon of the season, shopped Pike Place Market, grew vegetables in the family garden, and learned to respect nature's simple, clean flavors, which I strive to instill into the philosophy of our numerous global kitchens.

More significant has been the daily food discoveries that still enlighten me, proving the old adage no one knows it all. That is never more accurate than in the food world. 

www.chefblog.marriott.com