Who's Cooking in the Ministry Kitchen?

Unless you’re running a commercial kitchen, chances are the answer to ‘who’s cooking in  the ministry kitchen’ often is home cooks in  the form of ministry volunteers and organizers  of facility rentals. On average, home cooks cause 470 home cooking fires per day in the U.S. and $1.2 billion in direct property damage.¹

For religious and funeral properties, cooking equipment caused 30% of all fires from 2007–2011.² While those are scary stats, home cooks help to further your mission—the food they prepare and serve are integral parts of sharing, fellowship, fundraising, and good works. Training, written and oral safety instructions, and regular maintenance help mitigate the risk of an injury-causing or property-destroying accident.

6 Tips Your Kitchen Users Should Know  

Brotherhood Mutual commonly sees residential and combination kitchens* in many of our customers’ ministries. Volunteers and renters most likely are home cooks who may be unfamiliar with the equipment or necessary safety practices of a larger kitchen.  

To minimize the risk, provide kitchen users with training—both oral and written—and review with them these safety tips:

1.  Post instructions and obtain a signed waiver. Ideally, a staff member would be on hand to provide necessary instruction, make sure the equipment is being properly used, and to assist with any problems that may arise. Provide the kitchen user with written emergency contacts and phone numbers, too. The emergency evacuation plan should be clearly posted.

Download a Sample Facilities Use Agreement from the Brotherhood Mutual Safety Library to get started.

2.  Provide fireproof aprons and rags. Instruct kitchen users to wear provided aprons. Explain that cotton or synthetic aprons and rags are flammable and not safe to use.

3.  Point out fire extinguishers. Are your fire extinguishers clearly visible and regularly inspected? Do you have a fire alarm pull station near the kitchen? Ensure that kitchen users know where the extinguisher and pull station are located. If you have a fire suppression system above a commercial stove, make sure the caps that protect the nozzles are installed correctly. Nozzles can accumulate grease, possibly preventing proper function in the event of a fire.

4.  Use regulating deep fryers. Pay extra attention to who’s allowed to operate a deep-frying station or a pot of hot oil and how that equipment is being used. Children should be excluded from the area. Ensure that your deep-frying equipment self-regulates voltage and temperature; always follow the manufacturer’s recommendations.

5.  Ensure that cooking food has a buddy. When food is cooking, a kitchen user needs to be present at all times. Unattended cooking is the leading cause of cooking fires and casualties.¹

6.  Put it out, but when in doubt, get out. Teach your kitchen users that if they have any doubt about suppressing a small fire, they should get out, close the door (if possible), and call 911 or your local emergency number. Remind users to never throw water on a grease fire. 

You also can ask your local fire marshal to drop by for a visit. He or she can inspect your facilities for free and praise you for correct fire prevention steps or guide you on improvements.

References *  
A kitchen with residential counters and cabinets, but with commercial warming, cooking, and cooling equipment.

1   “Home Cooking Fires.” National Fire Protection Association, November 2019. https://www.nfpa.org/News-and-Research/ Data-research-and-tools/US-Fire-Problem/Home-CookingFires.  

2   Campbell, Richard. “U.S. Structure Fires in Religious and Funeral Properties.” National Fire Protection Association, June 2013. https://www.nfpa.org/News-and-Research/Dataresearch-and-tools/Building-and-Life-Safety/Religious-andfuneral-properties.

GET TO KNOW YOUR KITCHEN VENTILATION SYSTEM

Our Kitchen Ventilation Safety Tips helps start the process. This 8-question resource is a must-read for all staff members that use and maintain kitchen facilities.

Additional Resources

• Wind, Water, Hail, Fire - free risk management eBook
• Fire Pit Safety
• Fire and Wildfire Prevention

Posted March 2023

The information provided in this article is intended to be helpful, but it does not constitute legal advice and is not a substitute for the advice from a licensed attorney in your area. We encourage you to regularly consult with a local attorney as part of your risk management program.