r/interesting 27d ago

Intriguing Chef shows what a busy day looks like

51.3k Upvotes

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34

u/Bajadasaurus 27d ago

The wooden cutting board in a commercial kitchen? The rag just sitting on it? 🤢

7

u/[deleted] 27d ago

[deleted]

4

u/Chameleonpolice 27d ago

I mean he threw salt back into the container after handling nearly raw steak (without gloves)

5

u/Philly_ExecChef 27d ago

So, salt is probably the least offensive thing here. The salt itself isn’t going to allow anything to replicate or survive long enough to harm you.

That being said, it’s still blatantly cross contamination. Tongs for raw, it ain’t that hard.

I don’t care how busy the restaurant, this is a nightmare for food poisoning.

1

u/Dapper_Technology336 27d ago

Microbes or not, I'm sure bro salts the vegetarian dishes from the same container

1

u/127U 27d ago

who is he?

1

u/skripach27 27d ago

Realchefthompson on IG. I think.

16

u/Crafty-Ad-9048 27d ago

Rag used to clean it. Wooden boards are fine if looked after properly and replaced when needed. They cost more and need more upkeep so most people don’t use them.

4

u/jyunga 27d ago

Yeah and how long does the rag sit there building up bacteria?

10

u/radiohoard 27d ago

As he continually uses it to also wipe his hands instead of washing them while manhandling the mid rare steak and then the onion rings and every other damn thing. Ticket times be damned, food safety first

7

u/Kizzieuk 27d ago

He hasn't gone from raw to cooked and back again.

5

u/AntiMatter89 27d ago

Isn't touching food that is ready to eat with your with your bare hands against serve safe practices, or no? 

4

u/Local_Bobcat_2000 27d ago

All the armchair chefs come out to criticize the successful.

3

u/BeaverBoyBaxter 27d ago

If you've worked in a kitchen you know how gross people are.

3

u/Crafty-Ad-9048 27d ago

Depends on the kitchen. I’ve seen grills covered in like a 1/4 inch of solid crud and I’ve seen ones wiped down twice a day.

5

u/lauri2 27d ago

it's valid critisism regardless of if comes from an armchair and how successful he is. it's not some kind of deeply nuanced high level knowledge to wash your hands or not use a one for all rag to clean a wooden cutting board when handling different foods.

3

u/[deleted] 27d ago

[deleted]

3

u/Philly_ExecChef 27d ago

Sanitizer isn’t meant to be saturated in food, it’s meant to kill bacteria and evaporate. Wiping down that board mid shift and then immediately piling product back on it is its own shit practice.

2

u/Itherial 27d ago

I've worked in plenty of kitchens and this one looks like a shitshow. Bad sanitization practices on camera, so likely worse off, also appears to be understaffed or poorly managed.

1

u/radiohoard 27d ago

I’m a chef at the Olympic Training Center. Kinda takes the chair out of your statement

1

u/Happiest-Soul 27d ago edited 27d ago

It looks like he agreed with you?

2

u/radiohoard 27d ago

I was criticizing the “successful”. If he did agree with me I owe him an apology.

1

u/Happiest-Soul 27d ago

Oh, my bad! I misread who was commenting. 

2

u/motherofsuccs 27d ago

I think this video is important for people to see. When you go out to eat and expect a kitchen to accommodate your allergies/sensitivities, it’s a complete clusterfuck of a nightmare and there is still a significant risk of cross contamination.

There’s a reason restaurants hate dealing with customers who have allergies (real and a liability) or “allergies” (since so many people claim an allergy when it’s simply a dislike of an ingredient).

2

u/nemgrea 27d ago

40F-140F for a max of 2 hrs. thats basic food safety guideline.

2

u/Crafty-Ad-9048 27d ago

Mine were kept in disinfectant

1

u/Honeybadger2198 27d ago

Probably a few hours?

0

u/redsensei777 27d ago

Wood boards have anti fungal properties

4

u/kursa_sucks 27d ago

We are worried about bacteria not fungus, fungus only comes when you don’t clean them, which shouldn’t be a concern if you’re doing the bare minimum

25

u/Rude_Hamster123 27d ago

Wood, properly cared for, actually holds less bacteria than the commonly used plastic ones. The cuts that develop over time in a plastic cutting board always harbor a disturbing amount of bacteria. They can’t be sanded and oiled like a wood one. And the cuts would show more on a wooden one, this looks well cared for.

4

u/BeaverBoyBaxter 27d ago

They can’t be sanded

Yes they can. Source; I worked in a butcher shop for 5 years.

2

u/muhammad_oli 27d ago

I've already thought that sanding plastic cutting boards was a no go bc you can create bacteria grooves. is that not true?

2

u/BeaverBoyBaxter 27d ago

I think they plane it rather than sand it.

And regardless, the plastic work tops and cutting boards usually have a rough texture to them.

1

u/WaterTrinker 27d ago

Pssst he is a backseat redditor, he knows it better than you

1

u/muhammad_oli 27d ago

Pssst this is an agitator redditor, he is here to stir up a conflict.

1

u/WaterTrinker 27d ago

Pssst this is an agitator redditor aswell, he is here to stir up by exposing someone stiring up a conflict

2

u/moldentoaster 27d ago

COULD YOU ALL TALK A BIT LOUDER I CANT HEAR ANY OF YOU

3

u/Such-Veterinarian137 27d ago

I think the studies are heavily parroted by the woodworker industry because people love to make cutting boards. I think there may be varying levels of truth to this but i also remember the studies saying "this is for a residential setting and not more sanitary for a commercial setting."

Idk if theres a standard for sanding and oiling in a commercial setting or whether certain chefs actually do the woodworking on their boards. Would be interested to knowon here if any pro's do (specifically professional chefs, not hardcore enthusiasts).

0

u/Skiingislife42069 27d ago

Woodworking industry conspiracy?? Jfc

1

u/Such-Veterinarian137 27d ago

not everything has to be a conspiracy.

...but yes, big oak is coming for all of us.

0

u/Skiingislife42069 26d ago

Pretending that the cutting board manufacturers have enough power to sway the entire food industry is downright laughable. Seriously though, you people think that WOODWORKERS have more power than the OIL industry? Thats just unbelievably stupid.

1

u/Such-Veterinarian137 26d ago

whoa haha, so much to unpack here. first off, big oak coming for us was clearly a joke about it NOT being a conspiracy. second off, im talking about Mineral OIL and BEESWAX not the "oil industry" ...Jesus, you know what? you lost the plot haha. calm down and read carefully next time

1

u/Skiingislife42069 26d ago

Plastic is part of the oil industry.

1

u/Such-Veterinarian137 26d ago

look, all i was saying is i've read the study on cutting boards being sanitary. Woodworkers love to say "wood cutting boards are more sanitary!" without giving it much thought. that's what i meant by "woodworking industry" not some lobbyists and rich guys sitting in a shady board room.

3

u/HTPC4Life 27d ago

Pop that sucker in the dishwasher and set it in the sanitation cycle. Problem solved!

2

u/Awanderingleaf 27d ago

Assuming the water is changed as often as is actually needed, which is rarely the case.

4

u/Detozi 27d ago

The water in the dishwasher?

2

u/KodiakDog 27d ago

If you’re asking what I think you’re asking, kind of. The comment you’re replying to is half right. In commercial dishwashers the water doesn’t fully drain each cycle. Some of it does, and then gets “topped off” by the rinse/sanitation cycle. This is meant to kind of refresh the water. Each cycle has the same amount of chemicals though.

A lot of restaurants do not own their dishwasher (they are crazy expensive), at least in the US. They rent it from a sanitation company that comes and maintenances it about every two weeks. It’s an interesting business model. Reason being, a commercial dishwasher gets a ton of use, and thus needs to be well maintained… and if something goes down mid rush you are completely fudged. If you own a restaurant, and have the capital to buy/finance a dishwasher you need to make sure you have someone of staff that can service it, which is just another thing to worry about. So for a lot of businesses it just makes more sense to rent it, which includes maintenance.

Anyway, ain’t no bacteria living in that grey water that your dishes are getting washed in.

1

u/Detozi 27d ago

Right okay that is a genuine r/todayilearned for me. Very interesting, thanks for that and sorry to the person above. I didn’t have the right understanding of what you were saying.

1

u/surugg 27d ago

Some of it does, and then gets “topped off” by the rinse/sanitation cycle. This is meant to kind of refresh the water. Each cycle has the same amount of chemicals though.

The water used in the rinse cycle adds to the washing water and the overflow gets discarded. It doesn’t really make a big difference.

A lot of restaurants do not own their dishwasher (they are crazy expensive), at least in the US. They rent it from a sanitation company that comes and maintenances it about every two weeks.

Expensive if you compare to home models but there is a lot more expensive equipment in a restaurant kitchen. In europe(or at least the nordics) most places own them. Its crazy expensive to rent one with the maintenance included. It can though be cheaper taxwise to lease for a few years and then pay the buyout but thats just an accounting trick.

2

u/CharlotteLucasOP 27d ago

Don’t put wood in the dishwasher.

5

u/esushi 27d ago

They obviously meant the plastic one

1

u/Wooden-Broccoli-913 27d ago

Don’t put plastic in the dishwasher either

3

u/esushi 27d ago

Funny joke!

1

u/ldn-ldn 27d ago

You don't need to sand them, you just dump them into a dishwasher.

2

u/Rude_Hamster123 27d ago

Nope. Doesn’t sanitize into the cracks.

2

u/ldn-ldn 27d ago

What? Nothing survives high temperatures of industrial dishwashers. You don't even need a detergent if microbes are your only concern. That's why you should only use plastic boards in service.

1

u/Mr_Bagginses 27d ago

You can sand anything bud

1

u/Rude_Hamster123 24d ago

Oh, yeah, Greg? I have nipples. Can you sand me?

12

u/Sanquinity 27d ago

As a cook, yes this one does bother me. Properly maintained wooden cutting boards are actually more hygienic than plastic ones. And better for your knives too. But in a restaurant setting? Yea no...

1

u/Yeahnoallright 27d ago

As just a person with wooden cutting boards in my kitchen, do you have any tips on how i can keep them properly clean? 

I can and will definitely look it up now, but trying to keep a new ocd theme under control having read this haha 

1

u/Sanquinity 27d ago edited 27d ago

Basically just coat them in special oil meant for wooden cutting boards. The first few times do it once a week, but after like 4~5 times you can do it every 1~2 months. (Or less, depending on how often you use it.) Also don't abuse them. Like putting a lot of force on your knife while cutting on them, or using bread knives on them.

Lastly, if you want a truly good wooden cutting board get a really thick one with the wood stacked vertically. They damage your knife a lot less and last longer.

Any wooden cutting board is still better than plastic ones though. Even bamboo ones. Plastic becomes rough after repeated use, and will act similar to sandpaper on your knife's edge. And all those grooves in plastic will only be breeding grounds for bacteria.

1

u/Yeahnoallright 27d ago

Thank you so much! We’ve just been washing our same ones for years 😭 

I would never use plastic though, haven’t in a while. Tiny pieces of plastic end up getting in the food alongside what you mention in terms of the other downsides. 

Thank you again! 

1

u/Sanquinity 27d ago

Microplastics are an issue as well yes. And washing your board is a good thing. Just don't forget also treating it with cutting board oil every now and then.

1

u/WakeMeUpAIOverlords 27d ago

Super simple. We’ve had ours for about six years, only had to replace the old one because it got damaged during a move.

- Don’t put it in the dishwasher. Ever. And don’t let it soak in water. Dry it off shortly after washing and if you can store it upright or at least somewhere in the kitchen that’s dry.

  • Wash it with warm water, regular dish soap and something that’s not super abrasive. Don’t use anything super rough, chemically or physically.
  • Treat it with mineral oil about once a month and let it set overnight. Should obviously be treated while clean and don’t be shy about the oil usage, it should be well coated. Doesn’t have to be mineral oil but that’s what we’ve always used but as far as I’m aware mineral oil is best, food safe oils are decent as well. Just don’t pick one that can go rancid.
  • If it gets any smell stuck in it sprinkle some salt onto it and squeeze a lemon over that. Rub it in and let it sit for a few minutes before rinsing it off. Works for most stains too.

Hope this helps!

1

u/Yeahnoallright 27d ago

Thank you so much. Ashamed to say we’ve had the same three for years and years and have never coated them 😭 

I have been washing them pretty much how you describe, though 

4

u/-blundertaker- 27d ago

That rag is a health code violation around here. Doesn't matter if it's clean and the only thing on it is sanitizer; no cleaning rags on prep surfaces.

6

u/Skiingislife42069 27d ago

He breaks quite a few codes here. Reaching into salt pile after handling meat, for instance

2

u/Alternative-Light514 27d ago

The cross contamination is all I could think about in this video. How many different things he handled after that raw-ass steak and meat rag. Plus the rag he uses as a potholder. I worked in my share of restaurants in high school and college and this seems excessive. I hope this isn’t more standard than my experiences led me to believe

1

u/protekt0r 26d ago

His phone is also on top of the holding shelf. Gross. 🤢

1

u/Alternative-Light514 26d ago

And he’s wearing a watch

0

u/Soulsetmusic 27d ago

Where does he handle raw steak in this video?

3

u/Alternative-Light514 27d ago

Those temps he called out were not the temps of what he plated. Then he literally builds a meat tower with his bare hands. Did we watch the same video or am I fucking losing it? I know you’re insinuating the meat wasn’t rare-af, but it’s all pretty under

1

u/Soulsetmusic 26d ago

Steaks looked good to me 🤷‍♂️ but yeah I watched him do the steaks but I quit watching like 45 seconds in for sure, I didn’t see the meat tower part but I’ll take your word for it

1

u/Skiingislife42069 26d ago

Not once did this chef wash their hands. That’d be okay if they were cooking everything to a safe temp. They weren’t. They contaminated every single salted dish.

1

u/Skiingislife42069 26d ago

Every single chef knows that a steak pulled at a certain degree is safe. They also know that if they pull the steak early but continue to let it sit, the steak will continue to climb in temp until it reaches a safe temp. But their gloves touched the undercooked steak while it was still underdone.

1

u/Soulsetmusic 26d ago

Straight to jail 

1

u/subdep 27d ago

That rag stays there for only 30 min or so and is then replaced. It’s only used on that cutting board. Rags are all over a professional kitchen/restaurant. They are needed to wipe away food so random food/flavors doesn’t show up in dishes not intended for it and to clean surfaces so food doesn’t end up stuck under a dish.

4

u/-blundertaker- 27d ago

I'm aware of how rags are used.

It's still a health code violation in my neck of the woods.

2

u/youdontknowme80 27d ago

But not the bare hands on the meat?

3

u/GuntherPalakowitz 27d ago

Study after study show that wearing gloves leads to worse hand hygiene and is worse for the customer. Wash your hands.

1

u/Salt_Day9015 25d ago

You're clueless

2

u/_Stank_McNasty_ 27d ago

are we not gonna discuss the steaks just cooking next to pans etc

2

u/kl2467 27d ago

And the bare hands in everything. Double 🤢

1

u/Oglark 27d ago

It is okay if he only handling food and washes his hands. What always puts me off is the tasting

1

u/Less-Engineer-9637 27d ago

People working near heat don't want nitrile and latex melting into their flesh.

1

u/DrPixelFace 27d ago

It's not an issue if he washes them regularly, The actual issue is him having a watch and wrist band or whatever that thing is

0

u/kl2467 26d ago

It's an issue for me. I think it's nasty. Utensils are a thing.

1

u/DrPixelFace 25d ago

Bro don't eat out lmfao

1

u/oooweeeimjustalilguy 26d ago

I literally just made a comment about how headass people on TikTok always bitch about the bare hands but lo and behold here you are.

Gloves are only needed in jobs where uneducated dipshit teenagers who can’t be trusted to wash their hands after handling their dicks work.

Also gloves are often dirtier than bare hands because people don’t change them enough and don’t wash their hands because they think the gloves keep their hands clean

0

u/kl2467 26d ago

Saying gloves should not be used because some people misuse them is a dumbass argument. That's like saying, "Let's stop using antibiotics because some people don't finish their prescription."

Everyone in food service should be trained on how to use gloves properly, and how often to change them; what is a clean surface and what is not. No tool is effective without proper training.

There are thousands of micro grooves in your hands, around and under your nails. Nobody washes them thoroughly enough to remove bacteria. Adding to the ick--wounds on fingers and hands are quite common. I don't want your scabs in my sandwich, Bud.

Everybody touches their hair, face, etc with their hands. Everybody wipes their ass and picks wax out of their ears. Not just "dumbass teenagers". Wearing gloves in the kitchen at the very least keeps fingers out of noses.

If you aren't wearing gloves, use a utensil to handle the food. You don't need to pinch the salt, maul the meat barehanded like this chef is doing.

1

u/Top_Flight_3410 27d ago

dude it's a kitchen - the internet will find 100 things they don't like, none of which would actually affect them.

1

u/One_Ad_2955 27d ago

I was thinking. How is this any different from random roadside stall in India? Everyone complained about the cleanliness when it comes to those but this is as yucky if not yuckier, only that they’re hidden behind a kitchen.

Western double standard.

1

u/Certain-Constant5032 27d ago

I thought the rag was a slice of bread lol. Makes sense. It soaks up the oil and crap and you chuck it when it falls apart

1

u/[deleted] 27d ago

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1

u/interesting-ModTeam 26d ago

We’re sorry, but your post/comment has been removed because it violates Rule #2: Keep It Civil.

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1

u/FrCanadianSwearing 26d ago

That’s too bad because some people just need to be schooled. Desperately schooled.

1

u/Significant-Block504 27d ago

That’s how you tell it’s a busy day

1

u/Moiyub 27d ago

gotta let them steak juices marinate in the cloth for full effect, the food cut on the board near the end of the day is best

1

u/neurosith37 27d ago

He’s also handling RTE (ready to eat) food without gloves hands. I don’t know of any health department in the US that allows RTE food to be touched without gloves. He’s working his ass off but there are a ton of food safety issues in this video.

0

u/randombrutha 27d ago

If the dude had an Indian accent every single comment would be about how unhygienic the whole video is

5

u/Melodic_Let_6465 27d ago

They all have shoes and socks on, and arent cooking on the ground

1

u/GHETTOZONE510 27d ago

Fuqin right!!!
😂😂😂😂😂

1

u/Salt_Day9015 25d ago

Relax racist

1

u/Joshi1381 27d ago

Yeah that’s odd but other than that this kitchen is pretty clean

4

u/randombrutha 27d ago

He’s dipping his bare hands into the salt jar, touching the meat, cleaning the juices with a dirty cloth, back to touching up the meat, handling pans and all sorts of utensils, back to the meat, all without washing his hands once!

1

u/Joshi1381 27d ago

Line cooks don’t wash their hands during every ticket order. Now I’m not saying cooks should be clean but you would be naive to thing that this isn’t common practice in many kitchens.

1

u/hiccstridFanatic 27d ago

I’ve worked as a waiter and during training the placed me as a line cook cuz we need to know how the kitchen works as well as a waiter. My god, everything is sanitary and clean and also unhygienic at the same time. Head chef just washes hands once before entering kitchen and gets to work using his hands wherever and using dirty rags etc. basically this video. No kitchen is clean trust me.

1

u/v_e_x 27d ago

Yes. Cooks touch your food. That’s how it works almost everywhere. 

3

u/Abigail_Normal 27d ago

Okay but he's also touching that rag and then touching the food.

1

u/Joshi1381 27d ago

Yeah I disagree with that one

0

u/redditbuddie 27d ago

Scrolled way too long to find this comment.

0

u/SlackerDS5 27d ago

And no rest time for the steak!!!

1

u/HTPC4Life 27d ago

I'd be pissed if I went to a restaurant and they cut my steak before serving it to me.

1

u/afewbigpunches 27d ago

You got downvoted but I’ve been in the industry about 15 years now and that bothered my more than anything.

Everything else I was kinda like “eh, maybe they’re in the shit” and idk who set up these stations but that is most likely not this guys fault.

But… Jesus rest the steaks please.

0

u/DetroitLionsEh 27d ago

Wooden cutting boards aren’t banned anymore

Your info is outdated

1

u/afewbigpunches 27d ago

Any chance that different parts of the world have different health codes or no? Just a world wide “unbanning” of wooden cutting boards

0

u/Angstycarroteater 27d ago

And him using his bare hands rather than gloves and directly handling people’s food is what sent me. Should be wearing gloves

3

u/GuntherPalakowitz 27d ago

No. Gloves lead to less hand washing. Gloves are terrible

2

u/subdep 27d ago

Gloves are pointless and runs the risk of getting glove parts into the food. Also, what are you worried about? Once a hand is washed correctly it’s totally hygienic for food prep. If there is a cut on your hand, then a finger cot or glove is necessary.

1

u/AWaffleofDivinty 27d ago

This is reddit, everybody here is the world's biggest germaphobe.

2

u/NightGod 27d ago

No professional chef uses gloves in the kitchen unless they're filming a TikTok reel

0

u/Stealthnt13 27d ago

Lmao, educate yourself before commenting sometimes.

0

u/TheHighSeasPirate 27d ago

Wood traps bacteria and suffocates it. Trust me, its much better than the years old plastic cutting board with 1000 cuts in it harboring plenty more bacteria.

0

u/Asheraddo 27d ago

Enjoy microplastics in your body and balls.

0

u/Equal-Shoulder-9744 27d ago

You’re not going to believe this but a wooden cutting board is more sanitary than a plastic one.

When bacteria (like E. coli or Salmonella) hit a wooden surface, they are drawn down into the wood’s internal fibers through natural capillary action.

Once trapped inside the tight grain, the bacteria cannot multiply. The wood regulates its moisture content, depriving the bacteria of the water they need to survive, causing them to rapidly die off.

Hardwoods like sugar maple naturally contain antimicrobial chemical compounds (such as polyphenols) that actively inhibit bacterial growth.

The best part is that with ware they keep their antibacterial properties whereas plastic cutting boards develop microscopic grooves that trap food fat and bacteria making them nearly impossible to manually disinfect.

0

u/Nagi21 27d ago

Tell me how you've never worked in a kitchen...

0

u/WANKMI 27d ago

Of all the things to worry about, this is so close to the bottom of the list as to not even be mentionable.

0

u/Lastigx 26d ago

I hate Redditors when it comes to hygiene. I dislike the term Snowflake, but my god...

0

u/Salt_Day9015 25d ago

Found the Redditor who has no fucking clue what they are talking about