Remote food safety check
Virtual Compliance Check-In
An hour on video with a food safety consultant. Walk them through your kitchen on your phone, show them your records, ask what you have been meaning to ask, and get a written summary of what to fix first. No travel, no waiting for a site visit.
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The basics
What is a Virtual Compliance Check-In?
It is a one-hour video call with a Kitchen Tonic food safety consultant, built around your kitchen rather than a slide deck. You join from your phone, carry it through the kitchen while the consultant directs you, hold your records up to the camera, and talk through whatever is worrying you. Afterwards you get a written summary of the key risks and the actions to take first.
It sits between doing nothing and booking a full Mock EHO Inspection. A physical inspection is still the closest thing to the real visit. The check-in is for when you want expert eyes on your operation this week, at a fixed price, without a consultant travelling to you.
Not sure which you need? Start here. If the call shows you need the full inspection, the consultant will tell you so, and you will go into it knowing exactly what to fix beforehand.
Your hour
What the call covers
Three things, in whatever order suits your kitchen on the day.
Live kitchen walkthrough
You carry your phone through the kitchen while the consultant directs you: fridges and freezers, prep areas, storage, hand-wash points, cleaning and waste. They ask to see what an EHO would ask to see, and tell you what they notice as you go.
Your records, checked
Hold your HACCP or Safer Food, Better Business pack, temperature logs, cleaning schedule and allergen information up to the camera or share your screen. The consultant checks they are complete, current and would stand up to scrutiny.
Your questions, answered
Bring the things you are unsure about: a new dish, a supplier change, a staff training gap, a letter from the council. You get straight answers and a short list of what to fix first.
What a video call cannot do
- We cannot take our own temperature readings or swab surfaces, so we rely on your equipment and your records.
- We see what the camera sees. Structural issues behind equipment, in ceiling voids or in extraction ducting need a physical visit.
- It is not a mock inspection and we do not issue a predicted Food Hygiene Rating. For that, book the on-site Mock EHO Inspection.
How it works
From booking to written summary
Book and pay online
Pay £100 at checkout, then pick a weekday slot from the live calendar, up to 5 weeks ahead. Your confirmation email carries the video join link and a camera test page.
Get your records together
Have your HACCP or SFBB pack, temperature logs, cleaning schedule, allergen matrix and training records to hand, on paper or on screen. A charged phone with a camera is all the kit you need.
The one-hour call
Join from your phone or laptop, no software to install. The consultant guides the walkthrough, reviews your records and works through your questions.
Written summary by email
After the call you receive a written summary of the key risks spotted and the actions to take first, so nothing discussed gets lost.
Which one do you need?
Virtual check-in or on-site inspection
Two different jobs. Here is the honest difference.
| Virtual Compliance Check-In | Mock EHO Inspection | |
|---|---|---|
| Format | 1-hour guided video call | Half-day physical visit, unannounced option |
| Price | £100 | £350 plus travel outside Greater London |
| What we can check | Everything the camera and your records show | Every area, with our own temperature checks |
| Scored against FSA criteria | No, we flag risks and priorities | Yes, all three scoring areas |
| Written output | Summary of key risks and next actions | Full written report and prioritised action plan |
| Booking | Online, choose your own slot | Arranged with a consultant, from 3 days' notice |
| Best for | A second pair of eyes, quick questions, a check-in between visits | A full rehearsal before a real inspection |
Who it suits
Book a check-in if
- You have had an inspection date hinted at and want to know what to fix first, without waiting for a site visit.
- You run a small kitchen, café or food truck and want expert eyes on your records for the first time.
- You had a Mock EHO Inspection or a real one a few months ago and want to check the fixes stuck.
- You have a specific worry: a new menu, a supplier change, an allergen question, a letter from the council.
- You are outside London and want expert input without paying for travel.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is this the same as a mock EHO inspection?+
No. A Mock EHO Inspection is a physical visit where a consultant inspects your premises in person, takes their own readings and scores you against the three FSA Food Hygiene Rating areas, with a full written report. The Virtual Compliance Check-In is a one-hour video call: a guided walkthrough, a records review and your questions answered, with a written summary. It is a lighter, faster check, not a rehearsal of the real inspection.
What do I need for the call?+
A phone or tablet with a camera and a reasonable internet connection, and your food safety records to hand: HACCP or Safer Food, Better Business pack, temperature logs, cleaning schedule, allergen information and staff training records. Paper is fine, you simply hold it up to the camera. No software to install, you join through a link in your confirmation email and can test your camera beforehand.
Who will I speak to?+
A Kitchen Tonic food safety consultant. Kitchen Tonic is an RSPH registered training centre and has worked with hospitality kitchens across the UK since 2015.
Can I choose my own time?+
Yes. Once you have paid, you pick a slot from the live calendar, up to 5 weeks ahead. If something comes up, use the link in your confirmation email to reschedule.
What happens after the call?+
You receive a written summary by email covering the key risks spotted during the call and the actions to take first. If the call shows you need more, for example a rebuilt HACCP plan or a full on-site inspection, the consultant will say so plainly, with no obligation.
Can I upgrade to an on-site inspection afterwards?+
Yes. Many businesses use the check-in to decide whether they need the full Mock EHO Inspection. If you go on to book one, tell us on the enquiry form that you have already had a check-in so the consultant can pick up where you left off.
Do you cover the whole of the UK?+
Yes. Because it is a video call there is no travel and no travel supplement, wherever your kitchen is.
Will my Food Hygiene Rating change because of this call?+
No. Nothing from the call is shared with your local authority and we do not issue ratings. Only an inspection by your council's Environmental Health Officer can change your published rating, which runs from 0 to 5. The call is there to help you be ready for that.
Expert eyes, this week
An hour with a consultant, without the site visit
Pay online, pick your slot, and know what to fix first before anyone official walks through the door.
£1001 hour video call · single kitchen