Gordon Ramsay has just wrapped up another series of his ‘Kitchen Nightmares’ show in the States, with the final episode hitting the headlines over here too.
The last show focused on a restaurant so poorly run that Ramsay himself left and stopped filming. If you can’t stand the heat, as they say, get out of the kitchen.
But if the celebrity chef is tiring of critiquing croque monsieur or berating burnt burgers, he can always switch his attentions to the stuff of real kitchen nightmares – underinsurance.
In the back office of many restaurants doubtless lies a folder containing something of an under-cooked insurance policy – and that can be a recipe for disaster.
After all, a busy restaurant carries a significant number of risks that standard business insurance simply don’t cover. Remember you not only have a duty of care to your staff (employer liability) but also to your customers, who could dish up some serious litigation if they fall victim to a poorly cooked plate.
And no matter how religiously you follow health and safety protocols, accidents will always happen – on both sides of the kitchen door.
There’s more to consider too. If you ever cater for parties or gatherings away from your own premises, you’ll usually be working outside the restrictions of your insurance policy. Make sure you add cover for outside catering, even if it’s a once-a-year hog roast in summer.
Business interruption insurance for restaurants
Business interruption is another essential ingredient of thorough restaurant insurance. In the event that your restaurant has to close for any period of time – be it a flood, a fire, or a requirement of the health and safety inspector – business interruption policies pay out to compensate your lost income.
It can be the difference between your premises re-opening or not.
All restaurants are different of course, with the needs of a Michelin-starred eatery distinctly different to a late-night fast food emporium. So get a tailored quote – not an off-the-shelf business insurance policy – from QuoteRack’s specialist restaurant insurers.
Because if there’s one thing you don’t want Gordon Ramsay to pick holes out of, it’s your restaurant insurance.