Please reassure me that they use a new spoon every time, or that their fingers are clean when they touch the food.Normally I am willing to believe that chefs have good hygiene practices, but Masterchef and World Kitchen in the last two weeks has really made me think more about this issue.
nfh1,
Sep 5, 6:27am
In some kitchens a used spoon would be the least of your problems.
sandhu,
Sep 5, 6:29am
you are so right. nfh1
beaker59,
Sep 5, 10:07am
They also spit in the frypan to see if it has enough sizzle !
sumstyle,
Sep 5, 10:15am
O Lordy
nfh1,
Sep 5, 10:19am
LOL - that would be the Chef's Special.
lizab,
Sep 5, 9:00pm
I always wonder about the spoon tasting on tv programmes too
chef1964,
Sep 5, 9:35pm
i've been a chef for 25 + years i have NEVER seen a chef spit in a fry pan I do not mind admitting however that in my 25 years i have spat in ONE (one only) persons food , it was many years ago he was my boss and he was a real prick.
griffo4,
Sep 5, 9:39pm
sumstyle you need to give your immune system something to do,lol
sumstyle,
Sep 5, 9:46pm
Well given that's it's is tv prgogrammes that have prompted my reaction, it's my virtual immune system you know!
I don't have any problem using just one spoon for taste testing in my own kitchen, but Nicki Wickes on World Kitchen surely shares those meals with the crew.I'm sure she's incredibly clean, and wouldn't do it if (for example) she had Hep C, but it did make me wonder about regular restaurants.
chef1964,
Sep 5, 10:06pm
so by that logic all chefs are hard arse nut bags that swear constantly or take about 90 minutes to cook ONE meal ???
akd100,
Sep 5, 10:13pm
That guy thats on good morning double dips!Was so grossed out to see him reuse the same spoon.
sumstyle,
Sep 5, 10:18pm
Ummm.eh?
pgta,
Sep 5, 10:47pm
He does that so the crew doesn't hoe in and eat it - wants it all for himself
chef1964,
Sep 5, 11:00pm
my comment is that what you see on tv isnt actually what happens in the real world very few chefs i know are nothing like what you see on tv. it has been often said the cooking is a glamour industry but certainly not a glamour job
dragonzflame,
Sep 6, 1:53am
I think they probably do, but if you think about it, anything that's simmering will be hot enough to kill any germs that make their way into the food from the spoon.
Personally, I always wonder what they do with the food off the plates once the judges have tasted it. I hope it doesn't just get thrown out; I hate food wastage, especially meat.
lythande1,
Sep 6, 3:52am
Yes they use fingers. And wipe plates with the same grubby cloth too before serving.
buzzy110,
Sep 6, 5:03am
I worked in a German restaurant back in the day, run by a pair of Germans and they were obsessive about hygiene. Think about it though. All the sauces are made BEFORE the meal time cooking starts so any tasting is done well in advance. Once the orders are being cooked there is no need to taste anything again so stop worrying. A kitchen would soon come to a grinding halt if sauces were made on a plate by plate basis.
During cooking it is normal for an experienced chef to press the meat to test for doneness, but touching food during cooking is acceptable because fingers are not going anywhere else but on food, hopefully.
akd100,
Sep 6, 5:08am
If he double dips his spoon on TV, he MOST certainly does it in the restaurant!
white_elephant,
Sep 6, 5:08am
I've noticed lots of times on TV chefs rub their noses with the back of their hand, more germs in noses than anywhere else on the body so makes me cringe watching this.
martine5,
Sep 6, 6:56am
Well as a chef and a chef tutor I can tell you that I use a tasting spoon and have always insisted my students did as well.At work I have a jar full of them next to the stove - hey you are either a professional or you aren't and you either have standards or you don't.IMO
ferita,
Sep 6, 7:41pm
Im a qualified chef but dont work as one anymore. In my cooking days I have never seen anyone spoit in a fry pan or even dip a finger in food to taste it. We would have a bowl of clean spoons that you grabbed to taste food. Most would have 2 or 3 clean spoons in there little arm pockets at any given time.
Chefs wash their hands a lot though so they have clean hands and a lot of them wear gloves these days too.
sumstyle,
Sep 6, 7:51pm
That's more comforting ferita, and makes sense.For the sake of tv editing they don't show that stuff I guess.
chef1964,
Sep 7, 5:11am
ferita and martine are totally correct and have just reiterated what i said earlier. i think martine said it best you're either a profesional or youre not and IMO most chefs i've seen on tv are far from professional,
danjoboys,
Sep 7, 8:47am
Call me old fashioned but why do they also insist on speaking with their mouths full???
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