How ready is your kitchen for the EHO turning up tomorrow?

By Kristian11 May 2026

Why this matters

By the fifth inspection at Welsh Back, I had a routine. By the third one at Harbourside, I had a different routine, because Harbourside had a different inspector who asked different questions. EHO inspections are not a fixed test. They are a conversation, and the conversation depends on what the inspector walks in worrying about.

That said, certain things always come up: temperature records, the allergen matrix, the cleaning schedule, who has done food safety training, what you do when something goes wrong. This quiz covers those.

If you fail any of these in a real inspection, you do not lose your 5-star automatically, but you start losing the inspector's confidence, and that is the thing that actually drives your rating.

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How to read your results

You get a score at the end and a breakdown by section. A few things to do with it:

Anything under 70% is the thing to fix first, not the thing to plan to fix. Inspectors look for the weak spot, not the average.
Section 6 (corrective action) is the one most operators bomb. Having a record of what you did when something went wrong is harder than having a record of things going right.
Print your results. Tape them to the inside of the dry store door. Walk past them every morning. The thing that does not get measured does not get fixed.

FAQs

How often does an EHO inspect a café?

It depends on the risk band the council put you in. New businesses, businesses with previous issues, and higher-risk food types get inspected more often, sometimes annually. Established 5-star operators can go 18-36 months between visits.

What is the difference between an EHO inspection and an FHRS rating?

The EHO inspection produces the FHRS (Food Hygiene Rating Scheme) score. They are not separate. The inspector gives a rating from 0 to 5 based on three areas: food hygiene, structural compliance, and management.

Can I appeal a low food hygiene rating?

Yes. You have 21 days to appeal in writing to the council, and you can request a re-inspection once you have addressed the issues. There is no fee for the first re-inspection in most councils.