I Watched a Kitchen Mistake That Could’ve Made People Sick…

Hey guys, something happened the other day and I felt compelled to write about it. I’ve got to share the story first before getting into the purpose of this post, so please read and enjoy :)

The other day, I was driving by a restaurant I pass almost every day but have never actually tried. After watching Hotcakes and Hot Takes podcast, I’d really been craving a full breakfast - you know, pancakes, bacon, and eggs.. So I decided to stop in and give it a try.

I sat down and asked for exactly that, but the waitress said, “Sorry girl, breakfast ended at 11 AM.” That was obviously my fault because I didn’t read the sign right behind her head that said “Breakfast ends at 11 AM”… and it was 11:45 AM. Oops.

So, I ordered an egg salad instead. To be honest, it was unlike any egg salad I’ve ever had. It was filled with so many onions and some unidentifiable flavor that I couldn’t even taste the egg. Of course, when the waitress came by to ask how everything was, I smiled with a mouth full of onion and said, “It’s delicious!” It wasn’t 🤢 It was the worst egg salad sandwich I’ve ever had.

Side note: this is exactly why I almost always choose to cook at home because I KNOW it’ll actually be delicious 🙂

Anyway, I’m finishing up my meal, sipping on my coffee, and enjoying the view outside. I was by myself, so I didn’t have anyone to talk to and keep me distracted. I’ve always been the type to notice everything - my sister even calls me a “rubbernecker.”

At one point, I noticed an older gentleman from the kitchen go into the bathroom. Totally normal - nature calls, right? A few minutes later, I heard the bathroom door open. I looked over and saw him coming out, buckling his pants, and heading straight back into the kitchen.

My immediate thought was… did he even wash his hands? And then if he did he just completely recontaminated them 😡

People who handle food and aren’t mindful of their hygiene? That’s one of my biggest pet peeves.

With my background in food safety, I couldn’t just walk out without saying something. I asked the waitress if the man cooking and calling orders was the manager. She told me he was the back-of-house manager.

It was starting to get busy with the lunch rush, so I didn’t want to interrupt service. Instead, I gave her my business card and explained what I had witnessed. I let her know that from a food safety auditor’s perspective, it’s a violation and from a management perspective, it’s an unsafe hygiene practice that can lead to the spread of food-borne illness. I stressed that it should be addressed right away.

After I paid and grabbed my coat and purse, I glanced into the kitchen and saw the manager speaking to that employee. The waitress came over and reassured me that the situation was being handled properly.

That moment made me feel really proud. Just by being aware and speaking up, I may have helped prevent dozens if not hundreds of people from getting sick due to improper hygiene practices.

Thanks so much for reading! Have you ever spoken to a manager after witnessing improper food handling? I’d love to hear your experience.