Licenses (bevillinger) and approvals
Mattilsynet's kitchen requirements: checklist for restaurants and cafés
What Mattilsynet expects of the kitchen, registration and internkontroll (food safety system) when you start a restaurant, café, takeaway or catering business.
By TestPrep · 2 min read
Register the business before you open
Restaurants, cafés, takeaways and catering businesses must register with Mattilsynet before they start. Registration is free and done online. Ordinary food service normally needs registration, not prior approval. Mattilsynet may inspect after you open, and you are responsible for safe food from day one.
Internkontroll: written routines for safe food
You need an internkontroll system based on HACCP principles. That means identifying where hazards can occur, for example in cooling, reheating or storage, and having routines that prevent them. The routines should suit the size of the business. Write down who does what, how you check it and what you do when something goes wrong.
Kitchen premises and equipment
The kitchen must be easy to keep clean, with smooth, sealed surfaces. You need a separate basin for hand washing, with hot and cold water, soap and paper towels. There must be enough refrigeration and freezer capacity, and space to keep raw and ready-to-eat food apart. Dishwashing, waste and ventilation must cope with the amount of food you make. Also clarify the premises with the municipality.
Temperature, cleaning and allergens
Check and record the temperature in fridges and freezers regularly, and have routines for cooling and hot holding. Make a cleaning plan for what is cleaned and how often. Guests are entitled to information about the 14 allergens, also when food is not prepacked. Staff must be trained in hygiene and the routines before they start handling food.
When must the kitchen be approved?
Some businesses that produce foods of animal origin for sale to other businesses may need approval rather than just registration. An ordinary restaurant selling directly to guests normally does not. If you are unsure, for example with catering or selling to shops, ask Mattilsynet before you start.
Sources and official information
The information is based on official sources. Information from Oslo is used as local examples. Always check current requirements, fees and application procedures with your own municipality and the relevant authority.