Maintain all of your food at its required minimum internal temperature. Always keep cold food cold, 41 degrees or lower and hot food hot, 135 degrees or higher. These are FDA recommended temperatures, check with your local Health Department to confirm your state is following the same guidelines.

Prepare cold food such as turkey, ham, chicken, and vegetable or pasta salads, in advance to allow for thorough chilling in the refrigerator.

To help chill foods quicker, divide large amounts of food into shallow containers and place in an ice bath.  Or you can use an ice paddle, it is just a plastic tube-like container, filled with frozen water.

Once hot food is cooked to the required internal temperature, maintain food at 135 degrees or hotter in a warming cabinet. Always use a thermometer to test the temperature of the food and place additional thermometers in all of your equipment to ensure safe storage temperatures.