Food safety in the hospitality industry:
El Gaucho uses digital monitoring
At steak specialist El Gaucho, perfectly aged steaks sizzle on the grill, while a sophisticated system ensures food safety in the background. As the Kitchen Director of the Grossauer Group, Lukas Herndlhofer checks all the relevant parameters, from monitoring the temperature to the quality of the cooking oil – but no longer by hand.
Thanks to the digital monitoring system, HACCP-relevant measurements, including documentation, run automatically. This gives staff more time for the guests – and in an emergency, the digital monitoring system from Testo Saveris warns them before critical values are reached.
Challenge: What to do when time and manpower are short?
Restaurants like El Gaucho work with high-quality food – including dry-aged beef, which matures for weeks. To ensure quality and safety, the cold chain and processes must be monitored seamlessly. There are clear guidelines for this in the hospitality industry: The so-called HACCP guidelines (Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points) oblige companies to continuously monitor and document critical points such as storage temperature or humidity. At the same time, the hospitality industry is clearly feeling the effects of the staff shortage. Where time and personnel are scarce, processes need to be streamlined and reliable. The previous paper documentation was time-consuming and error-prone, which made inspections more difficult and placed additional demands on the already overburdened staff.
Solution: More time for guests, less work in the back office
El Gaucho has been relying on the testo Saveris digital food safety management system for environmental monitoring since 2020. The system automatically measures parameters such as temperature and humidity and transmits the data to the cloud via WLAN, where it can be accessed centrally and from any location. With high-quality products such as dry-aged beef, even small temperature fluctuations can have a major impact.
"If a limit value is exceeded somewhere, I receive a notification immediately," says Herndlhofer. Even in the event of WLAN failures, the data is retained – it is stored locally and synchronised later. “Our staff now have more time for the guests.“
Everyday work with a system: Digital checklists and clear processes
Digital checklists replace paperwork and ensure clear, efficient processes. The system fulfils all HACCP requirements and guarantees verifiable documentation for inspections at all times. Herndlhofer sees a particular benefit in monitoring the quality of the frying oil: "In the past, we often changed the frying oil too early. Today, we measure quality and know exactly when it is really necessary. That also saves a lot of money." Integration into ongoing operations went smoothly, as the system only requires WLAN and a web browser.
Outlook: A digital food monitoring system that grows with you.
The Grossauer Group is growing – and with it the requirements for transparent, efficient processes. The flexible food safety management system supports the hospitality industry's expansion plans: New locations can be easily connected and centrally managed. The digital infrastructure also offers potential for further process optimisation. Herndlhofer particularly appreciates the support he receives from Testo: "I always have someone to talk to – and I also get input on how we can further develop the processes."
Advantages of the digital food safety management system
Automated recording of temperature and humidity
Fulfils all HACCP documentation requirements
Centralised data storage in the data-secure cloud
Real-time alarm when a limit value is exceeded
Reduces manual checks and relieves the burden on staff
Simple integration into ongoing operations
Data buffer in the event of WLAN failure
Scalable for future site expansions
