[swrinfla]

I sheepishly admit to having watched several episodes of the recently-concluded Hell's Kitchen show. I was absolutely astounded and appalled at the physical contact everyone made with the food that was ready to go out to the dining room.

Any one else have the same sudden desire to never eat out again???? :dontknow:

SWR

[sschuler1]

It's funny how two people can watch the same show and have such different reactions. The food looked so good that I never want to cook again. I can't cook like that!!!

[travelstiles]

I don't watch much television, particularly reality or shock shows, so I guess ignorance is bliss! We have cut down on eating out since moving here in January, mainly because I like to cook and it's more economical.
However, we did have a bad experience at Denny's on 441. As new residents, we had received a promotion for 2 of their big breakfasts for free. We had 2 (two, not one) dirty coffee cups served to us (both with lipstick stains. Obviously the waiter didn't bother to even check the second one he brought out, so the third time I requested and received a take-out cup. Breakfast was luke-warm and bland.
So-so food I can occasionally tolerate - dirty dishes, not. ::
Won't be going back there!

[swrinfla]

sschuler:

that the food seemed good. Frankly, I'm not into real exotica, but they did prepare yummy-looking stuff! I was just shocked at how often they did touch the already plated meals!

SWR

[NYVette]

In my past life, on occasion, I had professional reasons to visit the owners of all types of restaurants. Often I would be in the kitchen with the owner. It was not uncommon for a restaurant to have a beautiful dining room and disgusting kitchen. Of course other restaurants had immaculate kitchens. But how can you tell? One time I witnessed a chef opening an oven full of steaks. He would use his hand to squeeze each steak. None of this was the reason for my visit but I had to ask why he did this. His answer ..."that's how you can tell well done from rare and everything in between...rare is still soft, well done is firm." Silly me, I thought they knew how long the steak was cooking. I don't want my steak determined with a personal touch. Many kitchens have wooden slatted floor coverings which allow a little "give" for employees on their feet for hours, this also allows food scraps to fall through so they aren't stepped on creating a slippery mush. In a different restaurant I saw a chef drop a piece of meat on the wood slat covered floor, pick up the meat, put if back on the fire a few seconds, then onto the plate. Both of these restaurants are fairly upscale. I have many more stories. One of the cleanest....Burger King. Burger King franchise regulations require every night after closing the entire kitchen is hosed down and wiped clean. That doesn't mean BK is the best...just that in my experience I found them to be always very clean. If anyone from LI NY remembers Milleridge Inn they can be happy knowing that their kitchen truly sparkles.

[redwitch]

Touching food in restaurants (especially the good ones) is pretty common. You tell how done the meat is by touching. You tell if the pasta is truly al dente by touching. You tell how hot the food is by touching (hot plate doesn't necessarily mean hot foot). And so on. Yup, eating out is gross if you get into the details. Sometimes ignorance is truly bliss.

[nONIE]

I had an experience with a resteraunt kitchen that really shocked me.

I was pulling into a local resteraunt parking lot . As I stepped out of the car I heard a faint meow from under one of the cars. I started looking under cars only to discover a small gray kitten hiding behind the wheel of a car. Being an animal lover I scooped up the kitten and decided to carry it into the resteraunt and ask them if they knew anything about where it belonged. Noone knew so I asked if they had any scraps of meat in the kitchen they could spare , they motioned for me to follow them back into the kitchen then took the kitten from my arms and put it on the cutting counter and let it eat off a large uncut ham. I was appalled but I must say I was so happy the tiny kitten was getting a meal. Just one small incident of what goes on in Resteraunt kitchens.

[barb1191]

I've always judged an unseen restaurant kitchen by how clean the rest rooms are. If I find the rest rooms immaculate, then I deduce that the kitchen too must be very clean. Dirty rest rooms = dirty kitchens.

Just my own logic.... barb

[Russ_Boston]

NYVette - I guess your professional reason for being in the kitchen had nothing to do with knowing anything about food prep. Determining steak doneness by touch is THE way to tell how it is cooked. Heck you don't need to be a chef to know this, just watch any food network show. I'm sure that there are many gross things in the kitchen but touching of food by chefs is common and well known. Most chefs will also taste a small bite of the meal as well. As long as they don't go back for seconds with the same fork I'm ok with it :joke:

[chelsea24]

Do I really want to eat out anymore? Is that a trick question? 1rnfl 1rnfl 1rnfl

Just everyday! I hate to cook! You can serve me a steak with your hands as long as I don't have to cook it!

[NYVette]

RussBoston.....
I did mention in my post that food prep did not have anything to do with my visits. The restaurant itself was never the reason for the visit....just the people that happened to be there. At the time of my experiences there was no food channel. Back then, anyone I told a restaurant story to was surprised. Possibly because of the cooking shows people are now more aware of what a commercial kitchen is like.

[Shirleevee]

Barb1191


I do the same.........first inspect the restroom.

Yes, touching food is the way to test for doneness..

Shirleevee....Mom to two Chefs

[nONIE]

Im not sure if inspecting the restroom is a fullproof way to judge the kitchen of a resteraunt. they are aware that people see the restrooms but unfortunately we dont see their kitchen. However, if the restroom is dirty, I probably wouldnt go back there to eat again.
I have to agree with Chels, My desire not to cook far outweighs my desire to not eat out. Ill just stay in denial and enjoy my food prepared by someone else and hope I live to tell about it!

[swrinfla]

Chels, Nonie:

I agree that eating out is far better than coping for myself! But, doesn't the chef's shall we call it "personal intimacy" with your dinner cause you some pre-eating heartburn?

SWR

[Russ_Boston]

NYVette - Sorry, I mistook the 'professional reasons' remark to be of a culinary nature.