In some regions there were no minimum standards for food workers, he said.
"We are doing it for the safety of our customers.
"At the same time we are being transparent."
Greytown's Cuckoo Cafe owner/managerJanine Mortensen said it had been hard to get all staff qualified and it had also come at a cost.
She had to pay for her staff to sit it and some had yet to achieve it.
"It's a thing you have to do if you want to keep your licence."
It can cost up to $230 for a half-day course to get a food worker up to scratch.
Ultimately, the bylaw was a good thing though, Mrs Mortensen said.
It showed the public the cafe took food safety seriously.
Angela Elliot, manager at Zest Cafe in Masterton, said while she had the unit standard, her staff would be affected.
They still had to sit it.
"I'll just put them through."
She said the bylaw was a good idea.
"It makes them aware of the dos and don'ts."
Businesses already operating a registered food safety programme or risk management plan are exempt from the bylaw.
The Wairarapa Trading Company is exempt because it has a registered food safety programme.
"We are doing the food control plan so we're ahead of the game," said co-owner/manager Blair Thompson.
Mr Peeti said hospitality students were expected to know about food control plans now. He said the food bill now before Parliament would probably change things again for food workers.
The bill stipulates food businesses producing higher-risk goods or prepare meals, must operate under a written food control plan.
The plan is registered and checked annually to make sure it is being followed.
The bill before Parliament will replace the Food Act 1981.
Minister for Food Safety Kate Wilkinson has said the 1981 act, at nearly 30 years old, is outdated and inefficient.
Under the new bill, fines for selling unsafe or contaminated food are much steeper - from a maximum penalty of $5000 to a maximum penalty of 2 years' imprisonment and a $100,000 fine.
The fine is also steep for not following the Wairarapa councils' bylaw - a business owner can be fined up to $20,000 for untrained workers.
Many other councils in New Zealand have already introduced similar requirements for food workers.
