Have you ever wanted to get a behind the scenes look at your favorite restaurant? Would you do it if you had the chance? I have done a lot of searching on both the “Internets” and “Interweb” and I found many restaurants that offer them. (Google “restaurant kitchen tours” and see for yourself.) Granted they’ll be expecting you and the place will be cleaner than a surgeon’s hands with OCD. However, what if you could tag along with a health inspector on a surprise visit, would you? Keep in mind what has been seen can not be unseen.
Clean kitchen (For those who have never seen one, this is not CGI.)
I have worked at two restaurants in my life and I have also prepared food in most of my own kitchens. Sometimes they do look like what you’ll see on any of Chef Gordon Ramsay’s 13 T.V. shows. In every case I have seen the glory and the gory. The gory part in ALL cases was temporary and to my knowledge no one including myself suffered any long term damage.
What an active kitchen should look like, basically clean. Hair nets might be good idea.
If you do happen to get a chance to go beyond the double swinging doors of your favorite restaurant, remember this: In any active kitchen there will be messes. Some in their infancy and others in the final stages of their short lived lives. In the restaurants I had the pleasure of working in the floors around the cooks were nasty during work hours. In their defense it was because of the ergonomic mats that were picked up and cleaned at the end of the night. Keep in mind, there’s no way to keep any working kitchen pristine but cleaning as they go is always a good sign.
I could have posted a picture far worse but that would deprive you of using your imagination.
One great way you can help your favorite eatery maintain high standards is getting them to this site! Our goal here is more than promoting clean and healthy food preparation practices but cleanliness as a lifestyle. Personally, professionally, locally, globally, indoors & outdoors.