Abstract
Purpose: The purpose of this study is to examine the current status of hygiene education for hotel chefs, in terms of the level of performance and importance of food hygiene inspections, as well as hygiene practices related to food cooking, storage, personal hygiene, and facility environment. We aim to identify what areas of education require priority improvement and derive implications. Methods: A survey on hygiene status, importance, and performance was conducted among 289 chefs working in six luxury hotels in Busan, South Korea. Frequency analysis and cross-analysis were conducted to evaluate the current status of hygiene education, while Borich Needs analysis was conducted to evaluate its importance and performance. The areas needing priority improvement were identified using the Locus-for-Focus model. Results: First, the most common frequency of hygiene education was once or twice a year. Participants who were older and with more years of experience were more likely to participate in annual training. Second, based on the degree of discrepancy between importance and performance and the results of Borich Needs analysis, the areas needing the highest priority were food inspection and hygiene. Third, according to the results of applying The Locus for focus model and visualizing it as a portfolio in a 2 ', 'Chopping boards and knives are frequently washed, sterilized and dried', 'Wash your hands with soap before starting cooking', 'Perform regular quarantine and disinfection to prevent pest invasion'. Conclusion: This study contributed to the understanding of the current status of hygiene education for chefs working in luxury hotels and confirmed the importance of hygiene management. Future research should aim to develop a more comprehensive hygiene education program by including participants from a more diverse pool of hotels and restaurants. This will significantly improve the hygiene management practices of chefs, thereby helping to prevent food hygiene-related accidents.