[BabyGirl92]

Having worked in quite a few different catering settings, I find out quite a lot about food that the customers don't have a clue about.

For example where I work the paninis are ready made and frozen, and they're just put in the panini oven for a few minutes to cook.

In my other job, the puddings are all frozen and are microwaved. So 'Fresh chocolate cream cake' is a bit misleading!

Also the 'curry of the day' which was Chicken Korma yesterday, there was some portions left over from the last time it was curry of the day which have been frozen and kept. I know that's not bad, but it's a bit misleading 'Curry of the day - freshly prepared curry today' bla bla.

[blueray]

This is so true. I saw a panorama documentary on 2 things. 1 on sandwiches where people sneezed in them and use very old and off meat, and disguise it with dressings.
2 in restaurants...gosh it was so shocking.

That's why when I do go out, I make sure I know what's going on in the kitchen (got contacts).

Aside from "fancy" restaurants, In some chains of Macdonalds some of the staff put their "own white liquid" in the mayonnaise.
This is why I never get mayonnaise from there, or even by the crappy unhealthy **** they serve.

[crocker710]

When I saw the title I thought this was going to be about something else ...

[CherryCherryBoomBoom]

Cool info OP. I never really thought much about how they do the food, but as long as it tastes good and isn't sick-inducing, then I don't really care how they've prepared it

(Original post by crocker710)
When I saw the title I thought this was going to be about something else ...

Me too! I figure it must be why they never say that at restaurants - it's always "do you wanna eat in or take away"

[kaylafrances]

eating out... at a restaurant?
oh

[mrshinyshoes]

(Original post by kaylafrances)
eating out... at a restaurant?
oh

ehe

[Annie72]

*Ding as the penny drops*


I used to work in the catering industry so do know a few tricks of the trade.

[RollerBall]

Damn it, I just about to make some funny comment about how most people don't know you can still get STIs from eating out.

It appears TSRs mind is already in the gutter without my help. Alas, I shall leave you to spread corruption elsewhere.

[Chumbaniya]

I am so glad to have entered this thread and discovered everyone else's first thoughts were as filthy as mine.

[Sabertooth]

Some guy I worked with at mcdonald's used to be the single most unhygienic person I've ever encountered. He'd wander about scratching his nuts/poking his earwax/picking his nose then prepare food without washing his hands, he'd sneeze onto burgers, he'd drop bread on the floor pick it up and use it anyway, he looked like he hadn't had a shower in about a year and he hardly spoke English so you couldn't even explain to him that what he was doing was wrong. Disgusting.

I made sure to always make a fresh burger for my breaks.

[philistine]

Eating out who?

[Pawsies]

(Original post by blueray)

That's why when I do go out, I make sure I know what's going on in the kitchen (got contacts).

[alexsasg]

It's a legal requirement for restaurants to provide you with free tap water if you ask for it.

[Oasis']

(Original post by alexsasg)
It's a legal requirement for restaurants to provide you with free tap water if you ask for it.

It is though before it closed down one of the Chinese buffets all you can eat near to where I live suddenly started to charge for water

[Sprockette]

Everything is cross-contaminated, asking for something gluten free, etc, and it will rarely be 100% free. Bad experiences plus working in a small pub restaurant = highly paranoid about eating out!

[TheCurlyHairedDude]

(Original post by Annie72)
*Ding as the penny drops*


I used to work in the catering industry so do know a few tricks of the trade.

Like what?

They're probably not tricks, just inside things tbh.

[TheCurlyHairedDude]

(Original post by alexsasg)
It's a legal requirement for restaurants to provide you with free tap water if you ask for it.

99.9% of people don't know this tbh lol

[Barden]

(Original post by kaylafrances)
eating out... at a restaurant?
oh

I'll reverse your disappointment

[chester.]

My faith in eating out has been restored by working in a fine dining place for the last 11 months. When I used to work in a basic pub lunch kind of place, the tricks of the trade almost put me off wanting to ever eat out again! Countless amounts of nutritionally empty, frozen veg, unrecognisable processed meats, cross-contamination, not taking care with food etc. But I started as a waiter in a really reputable restaurant last summer and the amount of care and effort the chefs put into the food is fantastic and we all do our best to treat the customers well. I now find myself looking for reviews of restaurants before I go and try to aim for the more high-end stuff.

[Annie72]

(Original post by TheCurlyHairedDude)
Like what?

They're probably not tricks, just inside things tbh.

Like how a lot of the food isnt "home made" it's mass produced and then microwaved ready for the customers to eat.