Foreign Governments || U.S. Government

Well, nothing ever turns out exactly as planned. Today the professional cooking field is intricately governed by a growing number of regulatory agencies. Laws abound! Regulations are rampant!

When it comes to running the business side of things, laws covering record-keeping, book-keeping, insurance, taxes, labor, truth-in-menu, building safety and access, alcohol, accident prevention, waste disposal, etc. all affect our daily actions and decisions.

It’s tough keeping abreast of these laws. Tough?! Try nearly impossible. Restaurant Associations’ bulletins and newsletters will help you stay alert to many changes in the laws. An energetic attorney will be of some help but few are expert in all aspects of law covering the foodservice business. Still, you may need the services of an attorney, and a good accountant is strongly recommended. Asking your health and fire department inspectors timely questions will save you lots of headaches.

When you want more information about government regulations and guidelines, the following links will get you started. It can be frustrating. Some information found in specific agency areas seems to be driven by current political positions and agendas. Gee, how surprising! So, dealing with the government on the WEB can be just as much fun as it is on the phone, in person or through the post. The SBA stuff contains clear, practical business help and is relatively easy to wade through.