Good for the environment and good for his employees: celebrity chef Patrick Coudert, who trained under Paul Bocuse and has two Michelin stars, has been using green cleaning as a cleaning method for several years now. Instead of using conventional cleaning agents, he only uses micro cleaners in his kitchens. This not only protects the health of the employees, but also the environment and the budget. In this interview, Patrick Coudert explains why he believes green cleaning should become the cleaning standard, especially in the catering industry.
Why is chemical-free, hygienic cleaning so important to you?
Patrick Coudert: Apart from the cooking itself, hygiene in the kitchen is actually the most important thing for me. And the fact that so many chemicals are used has always bothered me. Many employees suffer from this in the long term and develop health problems, which can even lead to them giving up their jobs. And the choice of cleaning agents should never be the reason for such a step! What's more, such agents can also cause real damage. I have even seen stainless steel surfaces damaged by aggressive cleaning agents.
What are the particular advantages of green cleaning in the kitchen for you?
Patrick Coudert: Apart from the fact that it clearly saves money and time, the main thing I avoid in this way is that a serious hygiene problem arises at some point. Of course, every professional kitchen attaches great importance to cleanliness, but the public order office knows exactly where to look. Whether it's fridge inserts or all the gaps and crevices that can be found in a kitchen - it's always possible that a particularly stubborn spot will be overlooked when cleaning. And even if everything is sparkling clean, there are still residues of cleaning products. At the same time, cleaning obvious areas such as extractor hoods or exhaust air filters is much easier with micro dry steam. The same applies to ceiling cleaning, where nothing drips down thanks to the low water content of the very dry steam and everything is dry again in no time. And let's not forget the floors, which need to be as non-slip as possible in a catering kitchen for safety reasons and therefore have very large pores. Dirt and residue can therefore accumulate here very easily. Normally, these floors are therefore literally washed and have to be scrubbed intensively, which is strenuous and of course consumes a lot of water. With a micro-steam vacuum cleaner, on the other hand, it takes less effort and water consumption, is much quicker and, above all, visibly cleaner.
Where do you see the benefits in terms of employee health?
Patrick Coudert: I have often experienced employees having allergic reactions to cleaning agents, sometimes so severe that they had to call in sick. Since we switched to chemical-free cleaning, we no longer have this problem because no one is exposed to chemicals that can irritate the eyes, skin or respiratory tract. What's more, cleaning itself is now easier and therefore safer. Thanks to the long reach of the Micro Cleaner and the corresponding accessories, it is no longer necessary to climb ladders or constantly bend down when cleaning floors, for example. This prevents accidents at work and back problems.
In your opinion, does green cleaning also pay off economically?
Patrick Coudert: Definitely. It's a very simple calculation: the more aggressive cleaning agents are, the more expensive they are. If you have to remove burnt-on residues, for example, you shouldn't save on chemical agents, otherwise you'll never get rid of the residues. All these costs are completely eliminated with green cleaning. We also used to regularly hire cleaning companies and had a whole series of bad experiences: unmotivated and/or poorly trained employees don't leave a spotless kitchen, but the bill still hurts. Now we can do it all ourselves, and with better results. All in all, we save on water, cleaning agents, manpower and time.
What are the most important advantages of Green Cleaning for you in terms of thermal disinfection?
Patrick Coudert: As anyone who has to deal with hygiene in the food sector knows, thermal disinfection is based on heat. This means that temperatures of between 60°C and 100°C can kill all the germs that are relevant to us. Much less heat is required to inactivate viruses. With green cleaning, it is precisely this thermal disinfection that takes place, but also something much more important: by also removing all invisible residues of dirt and cleaning agents, the breeding ground for new germs is completely eliminated. So it is not just clean, but pure, as they say. It would be all the more desirable for the green cleaning concept to establish itself as the new cleaning standard. This would protect people, the environment and, in the long term, your wallet, and each individual could contribute to a greener and more liveable planet.
