To enhance skill levels and to improve the standards of food hygiene and safety in restaurants and similar retail establishments dealing with food, the HYGIREST project will develop a competency-based modular vocational training programme, to be delivered via a dedicated website, for owners, managers and employees in this sector. Following an initial assessment of the nature of skills gaps and the current structure of vocational training provision in the partner countries in this field, project activities will work towards the following outputs: a outline training framework adaptable to each country's needs; a series of ten training modules and related support materials; an evaluation of the pilot training phase (relating to the developed modules) and a dedicated project website. Final versions of all training products will be produced in EN and all partner languages (PT, ES, EL & IT). Project results expect to reach at least 20% of companies and employees within the sector via lead industry bodies, some of which will have already been collaborating with the project. Dissemination will comprise the distribution of project leaflets, specialist media coverage and the hosting of two final project seminars. In the longer term, partners plan to form a consortium to focus upon potential commercialisation across Europe.