Do chefs inspect food before it goes on board

[papadewey221]

Maybe one of the members knows:

 

I was watching the Carnival Breeze being resupplied in Galveston on live web. I saw many chefs coming down the gang plank, and looking a some pallets, which I can only assume contained food. My question, does anyone here know as fact, that the food gets the once over by chefs before it goes on board.

Just curious???

papadewey221

[poz222]

Yes... and again before stored... they check manifest against delivered, quantities, quality and be sure it does not contain any... ahem... unticketed guests...

[chengkp75]

Yes, as noted above, and they will also grade each box of produce into statuses: "use immediately", "use soonest", and "use as needed" so that the ripest product gets stored in the front of the walk-ins, and used first. This process of grading will continue daily by the provisions master, as well as picking out anything even starting to spoil, so that it doesn't affect the rest of the box.

[CA_Cruzing]

Yes, as noted above, and they will also grade each box of produce into statuses: "use immediately", "use soonest", and "use as needed" so that the ripest product gets stored in the front of the walk-ins, and used first. This process of grading will continue daily by the provisions master, as well as picking out anything even starting to spoil, so that it doesn't affect the rest of the box.

 

 

 

Fully correct. We took the Behind the Fun tour and saw all the food and beverage coolers. There are many quality controls governing meats, fruits, veggies and drinks.

 

Near the end of a cruise, provisions supplies are very low. Carnival does an excellent job managing supplies and run rates.

 

Each cruise departing has full stocked fresh supplies and fruits are stocked based upon ripeness and age. Carnival actually buys fruits with different ripeness to maintain product consistency.

 

 

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[SadieN]

Bananas are especially troublesome. One cruise the old bananas were too old and the new ones were too green (wouldn't get ripe fast enough).

 

 

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[ragethjj23]

Bananas are especially troublesome. One cruise the old bananas were too old and the new ones were too green (wouldn't get ripe fast enough).

 

 

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Improper gassing.

[chengkp75]

Bananas are especially troublesome. One cruise the old bananas were too old and the new ones were too green (wouldn't get ripe fast enough).

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

 

Improper gassing.

 

Use of an ozone generator in the reefer boxes will generate gaseous ozone, which will kill the micro-organisms on the fruit and lessen the spoilage. Ozone will also break down the ethylene gas that is given off as fruit ripens, and breaking down this gas will slow down the ripening process. On the other hand, use of controlled ventilation of the reefer boxes can control the levels of CO2 in the boxes, also given off when fruit ripens, which can either speed up (removal of CO2) ripening, or slow down (allowing CO2 to build up) the ripening. Ozone generation is most effective, as the control of ethylene gas has benefits for mixed loads of produce in the same box.

[timeinthesand]

Are you guys saying the chefs do this on the pier? If so, you don't have a clue...

[Micahs Grandad]

Are you guys saying the chefs do this on the pier? If so, you don't have a clue...

 

If you have something to add why not say it?

[quickrate]

If you have something to add why not say it?

I keep trying to hit the like button!!:D

Pat

[timeinthesand]

If you have something to add why not say it?

 

I see them in person on turn around day in Galveston, every ship The Valor, the breeze, and the freedom. When you're cruising take a look at all the 18 wheelers that are lined up and ready to unload. They unload everything and take nothing back. Once it is on the pier, it goes on the ship.

[sparks1093]

I see them in person on turn around day in Galveston, every ship The Valor, the breeze, and the freedom. When you're cruising take a look at all the 18 wheelers that are lined up and ready to unload. They unload everything and take nothing back. Once it is on the pier, it goes on the ship.

 

I don't think anyone said that things get sent back but one of the folks responding on this thread has over 40 years of experience working on commercial shipping including stints onboard cruise ships.

[chengkp75]

I see them in person on turn around day in Galveston, every ship The Valor, the breeze, and the freedom. When you're cruising take a look at all the 18 wheelers that are lined up and ready to unload. They unload everything and take nothing back. Once it is on the pier, it goes on the ship.

 

You are correct, that almost nothing goes back, though I have seen it on some occasions and for certain items. It does get inspected, and anything that is not up to USPH standards regarding handling or sourcing will be disposed of, noted on the manifest, and not paid for. Anything that is questionable, as in very ripe or bruised will be noted on the manifest, and corporate will debate the charge with the supplier, and the product will be sorted to be used immediately, and if necessary, menu changes will be made to use this product earlier than scheduled.

 

Typically, the Provisions Master (in charge of all the food storage onboard) does the on shore inspections to insure that frozen things are still frozen, etc., and then the Executive Chef, and Chefs Tournant will do further inspections for grading once the pallets are on the ship and being unwrapped and repalletized for proper storage in the reefer boxes. Even at this stage, some product is rejected and disposed of, and this goes back to the supplier as a complaint. Too many complaints and the supplier loses a mult-million dollar contract.

[Micahs Grandad]

You are correct, that almost nothing goes back, though I have seen it on some occasions and for certain items. It does get inspected, and anything that is not up to USPH standards regarding handling or sourcing will be disposed of, noted on the manifest, and not paid for. Anything that is questionable, as in very ripe or bruised will be noted on the manifest, and corporate will debate the charge with the supplier, and the product will be sorted to be used immediately, and if necessary, menu changes will be made to use this product earlier than scheduled.

 

Typically, the Provisions Master (in charge of all the food storage onboard) does the on shore inspections to insure that frozen things are still frozen, etc., and then the Executive Chef, and Chefs Tournant will do further inspections for grading once the pallets are on the ship and being unwrapped and repalletized for proper storage in the reefer boxes. Even at this stage, some product is rejected and disposed of, and this goes back to the supplier as a complaint. Too many complaints and the supplier loses a mult-million dollar contract.

 

Thanks for the info. Very interesting

[timeinthesand]

You are correct, that almost nothing goes back, though I have seen it on some occasions and for certain items. It does get inspected, and anything that is not up to USPH standards regarding handling or sourcing will be disposed of, noted on the manifest, and not paid for. Anything that is questionable, as in very ripe or bruised will be noted on the manifest, and corporate will debate the charge with the supplier, and the product will be sorted to be used immediately, and if necessary, menu changes will be made to use this product earlier than scheduled.

 

Typically, the Provisions Master (in charge of all the food storage onboard) does the on shore inspections to insure that frozen things are still frozen, etc., and then the Executive Chef, and Chefs Tournant will do further inspections for grading once the pallets are on the ship and being unwrapped and repalletized for proper storage in the reefer boxes. Even at this stage, some product is rejected and disposed of, and this goes back to the supplier as a complaint. Too many complaints and the supplier loses a mult-million dollar contract.

Very accurate. My point was that there are not chefs walking around the pier inspecting pallets.

 

Thanks for sharing! To add, Carnival holds all of their vendors and out sourced providers to a very high standard. Most people don't realize that so many people on the Carnival ship actually work for other companies. For example the fun shops and the casino, among others.

[Retired_to_Cruise]

Are you guys saying the chefs do this on the pier? If so, you don't have a clue...

 

Sorry timeinthesand, but I have watched this exercise many times from my balcony in lots of different port on lots of Carnival ships. The pallets of supplies are lined up on the dock next to the ship near where they will be loaded. 10 or 15 people wearing chefs/cooks uniforms come onto the dock and open at least one box or container from every single pallet of food. I have seen them cutting open and tasting fruits and vegetables. I have seen them inspecting meats. I have seen them opening boxes and checking sell by dates on everything. If they found something that concerned them, they would open additional boxes/containers of the same pallet. I have seen them put placards on things that they did not want loaded onto the ship. And there were phone calls made about these placarded items. Nothing gets loaded onto the ship without their approval. Now there are probably additional inspections, sortings, and use sequence determined once stuff is placed on the ship, but I know from experience watching this process, that the first step of the approval process starts on the dock. So, I do "have a clue".

[timeinthesand]

The original poster says they do it in galveston, doesn't happen that way. The valor is there now, anyone can look and see for themselves.

 

By the way, my office overlooks the pier.

 

Have you ever seen them accidentally damage a box of produce, then load it on the ship? Have you ever seen the product fall out on the ground and get picked up and put back in the broken box then loaded? I have.

 

Never one time have I seen more than an occasional walkthrough to look at the pallets. Never a pallet by pallet inspection on the pier.

 

Galveston cruise cam is up and running, count the chefs, watch the time lapse from yesterday's loading of the breeze too and see how many chefs are on the pier. I counted zero.

[sparks1093]

The original poster says they do it in galveston, doesn't happen that way. The valor is there now, anyone can look and see for themselves.

 

By the way, my office overlooks the pier.

 

Have you ever seen them accidentally damage a box of produce, then load it on the ship? Have you ever seen the product fall out on the ground and get picked up and put back in the broken box then loaded? I have.

 

Never one time have I seen more than an occasional walkthrough to look at the pallets. Never a pallet by pallet inspection on the pier.

 

Galveston cruise cam is up and running, count the chefs, watch the time lapse from yesterday's loading of the breeze too and see how many chefs are on the pier. I counted zero.

 

So they do it differently in one port, doesn't mean it doesn't happen as described in other ports.

[timeinthesand]

So they do it differently in one port, doesn't mean it doesn't happen as described in other ports.

Agreed, I only speak on the one I know, galveston.

[Retired_to_Cruise]

Agreed, I only speak on the one I know, galveston.

 

And I have seen what I described from cabins on deck 7 in Miami, Port Canaveral, Fort Lauderdale, Long Beach, New Orleans, Vancouver, and Seattle. Do I win?

[timeinthesand]

And I have seen what I described from cabins on deck 7 in Miami, Port Canaveral, Fort Lauderdale, Long Beach, New Orleans, Vancouver, and Seattle. Do I win?

 

You are a winner in my book!

[ryano]

Very accurate.

 

It always is when coming from chengkp. :)