Some of the biggest red flags in the kitchen you should be aware of are poor hygiene, unorganized kitchen, and worn-out cooking tools. 🚩🚩🚩
The three listed above are my red flags, but there is a significant number of flags you should be aware of. I’ll dive deeper and share with you what to consider in this post. I have broken down the post into three categories, such as signs you should never eat at someone’s house or restaurant, poor cooking habits, and a toxic kitchen you should avoid. After reading this post you may be converted into a picky eater, which is not a bad thing. So, without further ado, let’s dive into my list of the biggest red flags in the kitchen.
Signs You Should Never Eat at Someone’s House or Restaurant
Please consider my comments regarding “signs you should never eat at someone’s house or restaurant”. I would argue that this is my most important category. Following my advice may save you from getting food poisoning, tasting horrible food, and so much more.
A sign is its appearance. If the home or restaurant doesn’t seem welcoming, trust your gut and do not eat there. Now I recognize that this is subjective, but it’s better to be safe than sorry. Another sign is hygiene. If the person in charge of the home or restaurant does not care to make the home or restaurant presentable, please beware. If you don’t want to come off rude, just pull the “picky eater card”.
The benefit of being a picky eater is that you can deny any food offerings. Simply state that you ate before you arrived at your destination. Take this as an opportunity to develop the skill of learning how to cook.
Poor Cooking Habits
As you take the initiative to improve your cooking skills, you should make it a point to eliminate poor cooking habits. Before we dive into the actual habit, please keep note that it starts with your cookware. Worn out and old cookware is a major red flag. Honestly, whenever I see eyesore cookware, I immediately add it to the “toxic kitchens you should avoid” list.
As for poor cooking habits, not properly preparing food is a no. Cross contamination between meats and vegetables can get you sick at the minimum. Not washing your poultry prior to adding seasonings would make my stomach turn. Whenever I see this, I immediately pull my picky eater card.
One more poor cooking habit is not cooking with love. This may appear minimal, but when someone does not put in any effort in their cooking, you’ll taste the difference. If there isn’t any love in your cooking, then that is definitely a toxic kitchen in my book.
Toxic Kitchen You Should Avoid
When I discuss toxic kitchens, I do not mean your nosy neighbor or someone’s personal home. Although this does exist, I notice this significantly in restaurants or other popular establishments. The tips provided below are from my own anecdotal experience, so please do not be too harsh at the next restaurant you choose to have fine dining.
The first red flag is arguing in the kitchen. I totally understand that the chef’s kitchen can be very chaotic, but there should be some type of self-control when cooking. How can anyone create a masterpiece without concentration and confidence with all that negativity in the kitchen? If you have an answer, please leave a comment below.
The second red flag is a lack of customer service. Cooking is more than what you prepare, but a combination of how you treat the people you are serving. Warm, gentle, and friendly body language makes your signature dish taste that much better.
My final red flag is a lack of presentation. How your food is served to you works alongside customer service. Who will want to eat anything if it looks as if it was just thrown on your plate. Taking the extra effort to proportion everything properly and make the dish aesthetically pleasing goes a long way.
If your restaurant doesn’t take note of these vital flags, then it is for sure a toxic kitchen you should avoid. We have many more flags, but these are top on our list.
In Closing
To wrap it up, the three biggest red flags in the kitchen you should take note of are poor hygiene, unorganized kitchen, and worn-out cooking tools. 🚩🚩🚩
As you have completed reading this post, I’ve shared other red flags but overall, this is a brief overview. Trust me, I am well aware that there are plenty more, but this is top on my list. If you believe we missed anything, please share your comments below. I am curious to learn about what bothers you. Also, please do not forget to share it with your friends and family. So, the next time you cook a special dish, please remember these red flags in the kitchen. Tag us and we may promote your dish on our media platforms.