Is food hygiene dead???

Robothell

I'm a bit annoyed recently with TV chefs at the mo.....is it just me or do they now rarely wash their hands after handling raw meat!! Jamie Oliver last week went from handling raw meat to preparing a side salad to serve it with, and then this week he was merrily playing with fowl and didn't wash his mitts again!!! And I wouldn't mind if it was restricted to him, it seems more and more common these days.

Makes me blood boil it does!!!:mad:

Rant over.:p

Bongedone

I find this annoying as well. Antony Worrall Thompson always makes sure his guest wash their hands though. Some chefs just rub their hand on a tea towel.

Ticklemouse

I saw Jamie do that!! Yes - it annoys me too. In fact I mentioned it on one thread or another a few days ago.

I'm sure that generally they do wash their hands IN SOAP AND WATER when preparing food but that is often cut out of the prog, but I agree that when you see them wipe their hands on a towel, it isn't good enough.

I know that a lot of "TV kitchens" don't have piped water to the sink - but did you ever watch Coxons Kitchen College? He always had bowls of soapy water and made sure he and guests always washed properly - and made sure he told you about doing it too.

craig777

I know exactly what you mean - ALL the 'celeb chefs' seem to do it, with the exception of AWT as mentioned above.

I'm sure alot of the time the washing of hands is probably cut during the editing of the programme before it goes to air. But alarmingly, it's quite obvious sometimes when there isn't a 'cut' and the chef in question is seen handling raw chicken and then starts handling different knives, salt and pepper pots, mortar and pestle etc etc without washing hands.

They obviously must know about food hygiene, otherwise their restaurants would be closed down by now! They should set a much better example. I'd like to see more chefs talk about food hygiene during their tv shows.

It really is frightening how little most people actually know about the subject. I've been quite lucky, in that my mother worked for a catering company and had to do all the food hygiene courses/exams, so she's taught me all the basics... hence I never go near a rice salad at a buffet, too risky!

Crazychik

Totally agree, but like TM said, it could the programme which has been edited so we dont see that side of things!

But yes, it should be shown to set an example!

Sorry I didnt see the programme, so cant really comment

As an ex military chef, we used to get into serious trouble if hygene wasn't carried out appropiately. Im now a stickler for hygene (slightest thing on my hands/knives and they're being washed), foods stored in the correct place etc... labelled/dated if in the freezer. Its common sense really and doesn't need a health & hygene certificate for people to do this at home!

phizzimum

it makes me crazy too- especially as my children often watch cookery progs with me.

i guess most of the food is never actually eaten so maybe they don't think it matters, but they could at least acknowledge the fact that under normal circumstances they would wash their hands/use a different knife.

after all, jamie oliver etc are always going on about how people don't know how to cook anymore so if they are going to be the home economics teachers for the nation, they might as well do it properly!

MRSMCAWBER

hi there

It drives me mad too.. and when they are wading through pastry and the like with rings still on :mad: it makes me crazy.... my wedding rings comes of and sits on the windowsill every time im in the kitchen...and im only cooking for me and hubby.

Olliebeak

Back in 1996, I went on a Basic Food Hygiene training course. As part of that course, we were shown a Jamie Oliver programme. It was shown to us as being an example of what NOT to do regarding food hygiene! So the guy had a reputation for poor hygiene (at least with Environmental Services) even way back then.

Among the things that he did were wiping knives on his apron, not changing chopping boards, wiping hands on apron instead of washing them, using his hands for mixing foods without being seen to wash them thoroughly, tasting from a spoon and then putting back into the pan, using damp cleaning cloths instead of kitchen roll for wiping up a spill - there were many others and I might add that this was not a deliberately filmed episode to show as a 'lesson' - it was just a regular episode of his usual cookery programme (possibly the first series).

Have to say though, that I love his energy and enthusiasm for his subject - just need to get him to re-examine his basic hygiene ground rules and remember that many people look to him as an example on how to do things correctly.

emmaroids

it annoys me when they have all greasy hands and then go and use the salt and pepper grinders.

thriftlady_2

Olliebeak wrote: »

Among the things that he did were wiping knives on his apron, not changing chopping boards, wiping hands on apron instead of washing them, using his hands for mixing foods without being seen to wash them thoroughly, tasting from a spoon and then putting back into the pan, using damp cleaning cloths instead of kitchen roll for wiping up a spill - correctly.

Yep, I do all of those things, it's a wonder my family are still alive Mind you I do wash boards, hands and utensils after preparing raw meat -don't have a separate board though, nor did my mum, or my gran for that matter.

~Chameleon~

AWT might well wash his hands on his programmes, but something I saw him do the other day had me cringing like crazy!

It was on The People's Cookbook and he was preparing a chicken for roasting and spread marmite over it but instead of getting a spoonful or so of marmite out the jar he kept putting the brush back in the jar after it had been brushed over the raw chicken :eek: :mad: