Are hair restraints required or optional for cooks who work in Boise restaurants (Boise Fry Company) (transfer, live)

[while parked]

I visited the Boise Fry Company recently for a burger, and the cook had a big head of floppy hair, and no restraints (such as a hat or hairnet). I asked if this was legal, and the cashier told me "not to worry about it". I figured he was embarrassed by my question, and since I didn't know whether they were breaking any law, I didn't say anything else I looked at the Health Department's web site, but found no clear rule about hair restraints. I found only a vague suggestion that hair should be restrained.

[cleatis]

As far as I can tell it's pretty much limited to the restaurant itself. I usually see it in large chain restaurants where I assume it's just because of a universal set of rules that every store has to follow. That being said, I haven't found hair in my food any more often at places that don't require hairnets.

[cleosmom]

From my understanding, if hair reaches the shoulder they are required to pull it back. From what I was told by someone who used to work in the food industry as a baker, there are nor requirements for hairnets.

[BSUEcon81]

The use of hair nets definitely is a restaurant by restaurant decision. Outside of a few national chain fast food places and grocery store delis, I actually can't recall ever seeing one.

Similarly, the use of throwaway plastic gloves by servers appears to be limited to service deli counters in larger stores. In fact, where I live, the deli staff at the stores I generally shop at wear both hair covers and gloves when handling food.

[jufrbo]

I've been a cook for awhile now and more specifically worked at the Boise Fry Company (then Idaho Fry) and my understanding of the health code is if your hair is longer than one inch it must be restrained. I'm not 100% on this, this is just what I was told. The BFC and many other places skirt this rule.

While I worked for the BFC hygiene took a back seat to everything else going on, I guess trying to prove how hip they are.

We never wore gloves while building the burgers. Gloves are not an option. Gloves must be worn while handling ready to eat food, and I am 100% on that one. I even asked the chef/owner about this and it was dismissed. At times we would go literally days without even having gloves in house. Cans of chipotle were opened, wrapped and left in the refridgerator, not transferred to a new container. Huge no-no, ever heard of botulism? Guess not at the BFC.

We once had a chef from another restaurant come and eat and actually called us out for leaving the aoli dipping sauces, which is basically fancy mayo, at room temperature. All day long. When the day is done throw it in the reach in with out a date, (the BFC was too hip to label and date food, the old sniff test would suffice) and bring it out the next day. Less popular sauces like black bean could be brought to and left at room temp for the entire day for, who knows, a week?

Mind you, it has been a few years since I last worked there, so things may have changed, but it doesn't sound like it.

Folks save yourself the money, this place is not worth the $15 you'll drop for a burger and soggy fries.

Sorry, end rant.

[banjomike]

Good question.
I've eaten at places where the cooks wear ball caps or other caps, cover their hair with bandanas in place of hair nets, and some still wear the traditional fry cook's garrison cap (in the Navy, it was called a **** cutter), but never no head covering at all.

[norriscornell]

are dishwashers required to wear hair restraints in restaurants?

[edujop]

I went to Boise Fry Company again today. And nobody in the kitchen had on hair restraints, and one guy in particular had big bushy hair. Crazy. I won't go there anymore.

[finsfan21]

Hair Restraints
2-402.11 Effectiveness.
34
(A) Except as provided in
¶ (B) of this section,
FOOD EMPLOYEES
shall wear hair restraints such as hats, hair coverings or nets, beard restraints, and clothing that covers
body hair, that are designed and worn to effectively keep their hair from contacting
exposed FOOD; clean EQUIPMENT, UTENSILS, and LINENS; and unwrapped
SINGLE-SERVICE and SINGLE-USE ARTICLES


From Idaho Food safety code.
You can contact health dept. However, as a director of a restaurant chain, I would never eat there as this is a clear example of their commitment to food safety. I shudder to think of what other practices they are missing.

[StayingAfterSunday]

Ugh. Just disgusting. Likewise, employees should wear disposable gloves when preparing food.