A checklist isn’t about telling a good chef how to run a kitchen — you already know. It’s about turning “we do that” into “here’s the record that we did it,” every day, without relying on memory on a busy Friday. Below is a practical routine you can adapt to your own site.
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Free PDF · A4 · print-ready · opening, during-service and closing checks
Daily — opening checks
Before service, confirm the kitchen is safe to start.
- Fridge and freezer temperatures recorded — fridges 8°C or below (5°C or below is best practice), freezers −18°C or below
- Probe thermometer working and calibrated
- Fridges and dry stores checked for out-of-date stock; rotate oldest to front (FIFO)
- Surfaces, boards and equipment clean and sanitised
- Handwashing stations stocked — hot water, soap, paper towels
- Staff fit to work (no diarrhoea or vomiting in the last 48 hours), clean uniform
Daily — during service
The checks that only happen while you cook.
- Cooking temperatures checked — a common target is a 75°C core for 30 seconds (or an equivalent time/temperature combination)
- Hot holding at 63°C or above
- Cooling done quickly — ideally chilled and into the fridge within 90 minutes
- Allergen requests handled and communicated to the kitchen
- Clean as you go — spills and boards dealt with, not left
Daily — closing checks
Leave the kitchen safe and the day recorded.
- All food stored correctly — covered, labelled and date-marked
- Fridge and freezer temperatures recorded again
- Full clean-down of surfaces, equipment and floors
- Waste removed, bins cleaned
- The day’s records completed and signed off
Weekly
Rotate through these so nothing gets missed.
- Deep clean of one area on rotation — extraction, walk-in, behind equipment
- Defrost and clean fridges/freezers as needed
- Descale and clean the coffee machine and ice machine
- Check the first aid kit is stocked and in date
- Pest check — look for droppings, gnaw marks or entry points
Monthly
The bigger jobs and the paperwork review.
- Deep clean high-level and low-level areas
- Review allergen information against your current recipes and suppliers
- Check staff food-safety and allergen training is current
- Inspect fire and safety equipment
- Review your HACCP or Safer Food, Better Business records for gaps
Keeping the record is the point
A checklist only protects you if it’s completed and kept. A paper folder works — until it’s left in the office, spilled on, or filled in from memory the night before an inspection. This checklist is one part of a full food safety management system, which also covers allergens, deliveries, training and your HACCP or SFBB plan. Running it digitally means each check is recorded the moment it happens, and the whole lot is producible in seconds.
Frequently asked questions
What should a daily food hygiene checklist include?
At minimum: fridge and freezer temperature checks, cooking and hot-holding temperatures during service, safe cooling and storage, clean-as-you-go, allergen handling, and a signed record at the end of the day. Split it into opening, during-service and closing checks so nothing is left to memory.
What temperature should a commercial fridge and freezer be?
In England, chilled food must legally be kept at 8°C or below — but 5°C or below is widely recommended as best practice to give yourself a safety margin. Freezers should run at −18°C or below. Record the readings so you can prove it.
How often should a commercial kitchen be cleaned?
Clean-as-you-go and a full clean-down happen daily; a rotating deep clean of one area (extraction, walk-in, behind equipment) is typically weekly; high/low-level deep cleans are usually monthly. What matters to an inspector is that the schedule is documented and signed off by whoever did the work.
Do I need to keep records of my hygiene checks?
Yes. UK food businesses need a food safety management system based on HACCP (most small caterers use the FSA’s Safer Food, Better Business pack), and the records are a core part of it — they’re also what an inspector looks at under "confidence in management". Records can be paper or digital.
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Related: Food safety management software guide · Food date labelling rules · Check your hygiene rating
Last reviewed July 2026 · HospoPilot editorial · General guidance, not legal advice.