Dr Kevin Roberts

Dr. Kevin Roberts, Ph.D.

Dr. Kevin R. Roberts is a professor in the Department of Hospitality Management at Kansas State University and director of the undergraduate program in hospitality management. Roberts serves as co-director of the Center for Food Safety in Child Nutrition Programs. Roberts worked in the restaurant industry for over 13 years and managed restaurant in Eastern Iowa.

He currently teaches in the areas of foodservice management and hospitality law. He has received outstanding teaching awards from K-State at the college and university levels. His research is related to the application of food safety principles. Specifically, he has conducted research in commercial restaurants, continuing care retirement communities, and school foodservice operations. His current research focuses on behavior change of employees once food safety training has taken place. His interest is in developing alternative food safety training programs and interventions that not only target knowledge, but the antecedents of behavioral intention.

  • The Hidden Danger of Kitchen Biofilms

    In previous blogs, we discussed why cleanliness is not always safe in the kitchen of a food service operation.  The fact is that your employees can do everything right in your cleaning program. They clean as they go. They are mindful of preventing cross-contamination. They follow the proper procedures for cleaning visible dirt and grime from the surface first before moving on to sanitizing. They ensure they are following [...]

  • Transitioning Your Kitchen from ‘Visually Clean’ to ‘Code Compliant’

    A few years ago, as part of a larger food safety research grant, our research team was exploring the behavioral patterns of foodservice employees. We installed cameras in several commercial kitchens to review real-time food safety practices. To be clear, these were not hidden cameras. Yet, we’ve done enough research to know that even when employees know they are being watched, whether by a camera or an in-person observer, [...]

  • PanPals®: A Smart Solution for Restaurants Facing Labor Shortages

    The restaurant industry continues to face a growing challenge: understaffing. According to recent industry reporting, labor shortages are not only costly for operators but are also expected to persist—and potentially worsen over time. For restaurant teams already stretched thin, this creates ongoing pressure to maintain efficiency, cleanliness, and food safety standards with fewer hands on deck. So where can operators make an immediate impact? The Hidden Cost of Cleanup [...]

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