Smoking While Or Between Preparing Meals

[Loz]

i've never seen it else where, the chef comes front of house smoking. i get an image of yellow tabacco stained fingers in my food. less than pleasant. friend of mine who smokes blasted one guy actually smoking in the kitchen over food being cooked. acceptable?

[mario299]

Loz

Not even slightly acceptable to me, please no smell of cigarettes anywhere near my food or elsewhere around me, as well. I used to be a smoker, have quit for some time and simply don't like the smell of cigarettes on me, my clothes, in my truck or even on someone elses clothes. Can't imagine kissing a smoker..yuck! Fortunately my wife feels the same.

[bonobo]

While I don't do it here as I live in a condo, while in the US, I smoke food regularly, and I know how well smoke can flavor. SO there is no way I want a cigarette smoker anywhere near my food.

On a different tack, I like watching the cooking shows, and in the reality shows such as hel_l's Kitchen, it seems that the majority of the chefs smoke. With only 16% of Americans being smokers, why are so many in the cooking industry? I would think that smoking would be an anathema to being a good cook as it alters tastes and deadens taste buds.

[JurgenG]

A few years ago I took a picture of this chef in this typical hong kong restaurant kitchen with a cigarette butt hanging from his lower lip ... Too bad I lost the picture.

Nowadays you can't smoke in any public place, and that includes the kitchen. So I guess it answers your question

[Beetlejuice]

It would certainly put me off. What about if the ash was to drop into the food?

Not only the smoking but it`s a sign that the owner does not practice good hygene.

[mallyrd]

While I don't do it here as I live in a condo, while in the US, I smoke food regularly, and I know how well smoke can flavor. SO there is no way I want a cigarette smoker anywhere near my food.

On a different tack, I like watching the cooking shows, and in the reality shows such as hel_l's Kitchen, it seems that the majority of the chefs smoke. With only 16% of Americans being smokers, why are so many in the cooking industry? I would think that smoking would be an anathema to being a good cook as it alters tastes and deadens taste buds.

These stats are 2008 but the percentage is way way higher than you infer. I am a smoker but I do not smoke in my house, I do not smoke in my car, I respect other peoples feelings when out and about and generally avoid offending others with my habit.

In the United States, an estimated 24.8 million men (23.1 percent) and 21.1 million women (18.3 percent) are smokers. These people are at higher risk of heart attack and stroke. The latest estimates for persons age 18 and older show...*

• Among whites, 23.5 percent of men and 20.6 percent of women smoke (2008).
• Among blacks, 25.6 percent of men and 17.8 percent of women smoke.
• Among Hispanics, 20.7 percent of men and 10.7 percent of women smoke.
• 9.9 percent of Asian adults smoke.
• 24.3 percent of American Indian/Alaska Native adults smoke

[Loz]

I'm realsitic I think. I know people might smoke. But if you are working at food prep and you come out in front of your customers fag in hand, I think it sets a bad tone. This one guy comes and asks me if the food is ok, while smoking the cigarette! I think the guy really means well. He often comes to check the order as he knows the waitress can make mistakes. He advises on whats best with what main dish. He really seems to want to make it a good cullinary experience but that is ALL cancelled out by me constantly having the image of his nicotine stain fingers mixing up my burger mince.

Not that it really matters but the guy in question is NOT Thai.. But lives here and runs the restaurant of which I speak. The only other instance of this is another non thai (oddly of the same nationalty) and in a suburb of the same city.

And yes, being british I am far to reserved to point it out to either of them, as its their business and they can run it as they like. But maybe a lively discussion here about it will prompt some to thing again before sparking up while at work.

Hope springs eternal...

[daveh]

Wow, all this talk about food and no one even mentions the taste. Why force your prejudices on others? I certainly don't think there are any health reasons why one should not eat food prepared by a smoker. And if it won't harm you and you can't taste it, why do you care?

I'm more concerned about the cooks washing their hands with soap and hot water after using the toilette than I am about smoking. When eating food, you can't tell if there are any germs on it passed on by the cooks.

[smokie36]

Wow, all this talk about food and no one even mentions the taste. Why force your prejudices on others? I certainly don't think there are any health reasons why one should not eat food prepared by a smoker. And if it won't harm you and you can't taste it, why do you care?

I'm more concerned about the cooks washing their hands with soap and hot water after using the toilette than I am about smoking. When eating food, you can't tell if there are any germs on it passed on by the cooks.

A far more valid point. I enjoy cooking a lt and I'm happy to spend a few hours preparing my favourite food when I have the time. Also like to smoke but never in the kitchen and certainly not over the food.

Never considered washing my hands after having a smoke though.....as I most certainly would if I'd used the loo or been cleaning up etc.....food for thought I guess....

[cardholder]

One of the worst things for me was having a waitress (owners wife actually) bringing out 2 plates of food - one in each hand - holding on to a fag in her right hand.

Was it too much to expect that she could at least put it in an ashtray whilst she served the food ?

[Loz]

Appreciate that, Smokie.

And Dave, I think you missed the point made earlier that smoke certainly does affect the taste of food.

[greasemonkey]

Loz, I'm sure tobacco smoke may well alter the taste of food, But dont worry about his nicotine stained fingers in your burger mince. It is impossible to get the staining off your fingers, no matter how much scrubbing and cleaners you use. I can see your point though.

[needforspeed]

Before i buy my sticky rice, Tom Sapp and Som Tam THai is ask the chef for his HACCP and food Hygiene certificates , if not present i am gone to the next store.

Told my GF to by some food on Monday afternoon came back on Thursday evening , Hygiene first priority .

Edited November 22, 2010 by needforspeed

[manarak]

another *shake head & shrug* topic...

[travelmann]

Before i buy my sticky rice, Tom Sapp and Som Tam THai is ask the chef for his HACCP and food Hygiene certificates , if not present i am gone to the next store.

Told my GF to by some food on Monday afternoon came back on Thursday evening , Hygiene first priority .

Empty handed????

[Loz]

Ironically, the first night of my life spent hospitalized was here in Thailand. But not from Thai food vendors where I ate from most of the time. No, I had an S&P tuna sandwich and was so violently ill from it that I dehydrated to the point where my blood pressure was dangerously low. 2 nights in hospital in IV drips and cups full of meds. comic really. The Thais look slap dash but have never poisoned me. The Farang establishments have the opposite record.

[gennisis]

Nothing wrong with a light sprinkling of fag ash over your meal....its sterile and full of minerals.

[MegaRanter]

S&P is Thai.

Ash sure do contain minerals and tar

[bonobo]

Wow, all this talk about food and no one even mentions the taste. Why force your prejudices on others? I certainly don't think there are any health reasons why one should not eat food prepared by a smoker. And if it won't harm you and you can't taste it, why do you care?

I'm more concerned about the cooks washing their hands with soap and hot water after using the toilette than I am about smoking. When eating food, you can't tell if there are any germs on it passed on by the cooks.

When I wrote that I don't want a cigarette smoker anywhere near my food, I meant someone smoking a cigarette near my food, not someone who smokes cigarettes, but elsewhere.  I don't care if they step out the back of the kitchen and light up.  I probably could have been more clear in my post.

[Lancelot]

There are so many restaurants -both here in Thailand and other countries as well- that eventually you can find one that has smoke free cooks

Back in the US I would have a quiet word with management about some behaviour or practices that I found unacceptable. Here in Thailand I don't bother; they aren't going to change so I change the place I do business

Edited November 23, 2010 by Lancelot

[needforspeed]

Before i buy my sticky rice, Tom Sapp and Som Tam THai is ask the chef for his HACCP and food Hygiene certificates , if not present i am gone to the next store.

Told my GF to by some food on Monday afternoon came back on Thursday evening , Hygiene first priority .

Empty handed????

, maybe not empty handed but for sure no food.

[Tonto21]

Loz,

You’re right, of course you are. Cooks smoking whilst preparing/cooking food…..Not cool! This in its self is not the main problem for me. The issue for me is that someone, like a cook that smokes while preparing and cooking food, proves to me that he/she has no personal discipline, pride or understanding of hygiene. So, when I see some cook smoking in the kitchen, I can’t help thinking; “Has this guy dropped the kids off at the pool since he started his shift?” and did he wash his hands???? I don’t think so! Just let you chew on that for a bit.

[Tonto21]

Before i buy my sticky rice, Tom Sapp and Som Tam THai is ask the chef for his HACCP and food Hygiene certificates , if not present i am gone to the next store.

Told my GF to by some food on Monday afternoon came back on Thursday evening , Hygiene first priority .

Empty handed????

, maybe not empty handed but for sure no food.

Back when I was a smoker, a few years ago, I asked for a packet of tabs at the bar, “we no have” I was told, she said “give me, I go buy for you, what you want?” I told her get me Marlboro, “if no have” she said, “well, get me LM” “if no have” she said again, I told her ”If they don’t have……get me anything” She came back 10 minutes later with grilled chicken and fried rice! Well I did say anything.

[mark45y]

You guys are funny. I used to have a very successful breakfast restaurant. Cooked hundreds of omelets per hour. The kitchen was hot. Real hot. During the breakfast rush everybody cooked including me. We all wore terrycloth cotton head bands to prevent the sweat from getting in our eyes. They worked for ten minutes or so. Then the sweat came pouring down our foreheads and into the omelets. No time to wipe your brow we were too busy. I didn't salt the omelets because I figured the sweat did that. But we didn't smoke.

Of all the things that happen in a production kitchen I would not worry about smoking. Rat droppings dry up and are blown by air on the food. Rats poop as they walk so rat poop is everywhere. Same with cockroach droppings. Mold is a frequent problem as kitchens are wet from cooking and cleaning. There are human diseases like hepatitis that are transferred from people to food. Human poop is a big problem. Washing hands is a must but hands must be washed properly. How many toilets in Thailand have soap? Ever seen a Thai pick their nose or pimples? Think they stop when they are working as a cook?

You can relax about the smoking it is the least of the problems in a restaurant kitchen.

Edited November 23, 2010 by mark45y

[bonobo]

You guys are funny.  I used to have a very successful breakfast restaurant.  Cooked hundreds of omelets per hour.  The kitchen was hot.  Real hot.  During the breakfast rush everybody cooked including me.  We all wore terrycloth cotton head bands to prevent the sweat from getting in our eyes.  They worked for ten minutes or so.  Then the sweat came pouring down our foreheads and into the omelets.  No time to wipe your brow we were too busy.  I didn't salt the omelets because I figured the sweat did that.  But we didn't smoke.  

Of all the things that happen in a production kitchen I would not worry about smoking.  Rat droppings dry up and are blown by air on the food.  Rats poop as they walk so rat poop is everywhere.  Same with cockroach droppings.  Mold is a frequent problem as kitchens are wet from cooking and cleaning.  There are human diseases like hepatitis that are transferred from people to food.  Human poop is a big problem.  Washing hands is a must but hands must be washed properly.  How many toilets in Thailand have soap?  Ever seen a Thai pick their nose or pimples?  Think they stop when they are working as a cook?

You can relax about the smoking it is the least of the problems in a restaurant kitchen.

So just because there are rat turds in a kitchen, we should ignore smoke?  Sorry, I don't buy it.  I am concerned about anything which can contaminate my food from both a health and taste perspective.  And while I am not sure that smoke/ashes in my food offer any health issues, they can certainly offer taste issues.  And as some posters have pointed out, if someone is smoking while preparing dishes, he or she probably is not too concerned with other hygiene matters which can in fact have health concerns.  

Smoking in the kitchen may not be my most pressing concern, but that is the topic at hand, not rodent feces.

Keeping a kitchen work space clean is a proactive issue which is almost impossible to achieve a 100% clean space.  But smoking is a very easy thing to control.  If cooking, don't smoke.  Easy as that.

[Tonto21]

You guys are funny. I used to have a very successful breakfast restaurant. Cooked hundreds of omelets per hour. The kitchen was hot. Real hot. During the breakfast rush everybody cooked including me. We all wore terrycloth cotton head bands to prevent the sweat from getting in our eyes. They worked for ten minutes or so. Then the sweat came pouring down our foreheads and into the omelets. No time to wipe your brow we were too busy. I didn't salt the omelets because I figured the sweat did that. But we didn't smoke.

Of all the things that happen in a production kitchen I would not worry about smoking. Rat droppings dry up and are blown by air on the food. Rats poop as they walk so rat poop is everywhere. Same with cockroach droppings. Mold is a frequent problem as kitchens are wet from cooking and cleaning. There are human diseases like hepatitis that are transferred from people to food. Human poop is a big problem. Washing hands is a must but hands must be washed properly. How many toilets in Thailand have soap? Ever seen a Thai pick their nose or pimples? Think they stop when they are working as a cook?

You can relax about the smoking it is the least of the problems in a restaurant kitchen.

Thanks marky45y

You have made me feel so much better about the cook smoking now, happy days! Hears to the next bout of gut rot and blown “O” ring.

[mark45y]

You guys are funny.  I used to have a very successful breakfast restaurant.  Cooked hundreds of omelets per hour.  The kitchen was hot.  Real hot.  During the breakfast rush everybody cooked including me.  We all wore terrycloth cotton head bands to prevent the sweat from getting in our eyes.  They worked for ten minutes or so.  Then the sweat came pouring down our foreheads and into the omelets.  No time to wipe your brow we were too busy.  I didn't salt the omelets because I figured the sweat did that.  But we didn't smoke.  

Of all the things that happen in a production kitchen I would not worry about smoking.  Rat droppings dry up and are blown by air on the food.  Rats poop as they walk so rat poop is everywhere.  Same with cockroach droppings.  Mold is a frequent problem as kitchens are wet from cooking and cleaning.  There are human diseases like hepatitis that are transferred from people to food.  Human poop is a big problem.  Washing hands is a must but hands must be washed properly.  How many toilets in Thailand have soap?  Ever seen a Thai pick their nose or pimples?  Think they stop when they are working as a cook?

You can relax about the smoking it is the least of the problems in a restaurant kitchen.

So just because there are rat turds in a kitchen, we should ignore smoke?  Sorry, I don't buy it.  I am concerned about anything which can contaminate my food from both a health and taste perspective.  And while I am not sure that smoke/ashes in my food offer any health issues, they can certainly offer taste issues.  And as some posters have pointed out, if someone is smoking while preparing dishes, he or she probably is not too concerned with other hygiene matters which can in fact have health concerns.  

Smoking in the kitchen may not be my most pressing concern, but that is the topic at hand, not rodent feces.

Keeping a kitchen work space clean is a proactive issue which is almost impossible to achieve a 100% clean space.  But smoking is a very easy thing to control.  If cooking, don't smoke.  Easy as that.

Health inspector comes into kitchen and sees an ashtray with a cigarette butt in it. He is going to tell you to get rid of the ashtray and don't smoke in the kitchen. End of discussion.

Health inspector comes into kitchen and your dish washing machine is under temperature. He is going to close your restaurant until you get it fixed. He will red tag the place and you are out of business until the machine is up to temperature.

I am just saying get your priorities in order.

[Berkshire]

You guys are funny. I used to have a very successful breakfast restaurant. Cooked hundreds of omelets per hour. The kitchen was hot. Real hot. During the breakfast rush everybody cooked including me. We all wore terrycloth cotton head bands to prevent the sweat from getting in our eyes. They worked for ten minutes or so. Then the sweat came pouring down our foreheads and into the omelets. No time to wipe your brow we were too busy. I didn't salt the omelets because I figured the sweat did that. But we didn't smoke.

Of all the things that happen in a production kitchen I would not worry about smoking. Rat droppings dry up and are blown by air on the food. Rats poop as they walk so rat poop is everywhere. Same with cockroach droppings. Mold is a frequent problem as kitchens are wet from cooking and cleaning. There are human diseases like hepatitis that are transferred from people to food. Human poop is a big problem. Washing hands is a must but hands must be washed properly. How many toilets in Thailand have soap? Ever seen a Thai pick their nose or pimples? Think they stop when they are working as a cook?

You can relax about the smoking it is the least of the problems in a restaurant kitchen.

You beat me to the punch on this one. While I wouldn't condone or encourage smoking in the kitchen, it certainly pales in comparison with other health and hygiene issues. In my youth, I worked in various restaurants (in the US) and some of the things I saw would turn your stomach. In addition to the stuff you mentioned, I saw people dropping food on the floor and putting it right back on the plate, sneezing/coughing on the food while preparing it, unclean utensils used to prepare food, old/rancid stuff being used, cockroaches in the food...and then there was the intentional stuff (spitting on the food was the least offensive). Someone told me once that you should never go into the kitchen of a Chinese restaurant if you don't want to lose your appetite. And this is all back in the states! I'm sure some of this stuff is going on in Thailand and all I can say is that ignorance is bliss. As long as I'm not getting sick (knock on wood).

[mark45y]

You guys are funny. I used to have a very successful breakfast restaurant. Cooked hundreds of omelets per hour. The kitchen was hot. Real hot. During the breakfast rush everybody cooked including me. We all wore terrycloth cotton head bands to prevent the sweat from getting in our eyes. They worked for ten minutes or so. Then the sweat came pouring down our foreheads and into the omelets. No time to wipe your brow we were too busy. I didn't salt the omelets because I figured the sweat did that. But we didn't smoke.

Of all the things that happen in a production kitchen I would not worry about smoking. Rat droppings dry up and are blown by air on the food. Rats poop as they walk so rat poop is everywhere. Same with cockroach droppings. Mold is a frequent problem as kitchens are wet from cooking and cleaning. There are human diseases like hepatitis that are transferred from people to food. Human poop is a big problem. Washing hands is a must but hands must be washed properly. How many toilets in Thailand have soap? Ever seen a Thai pick their nose or pimples? Think they stop when they are working as a cook?

You can relax about the smoking it is the least of the problems in a restaurant kitchen.

You beat me to the punch on this one. While I wouldn't condone or encourage smoking in the kitchen, it certainly pales in comparison with other health and hygiene issues. In my youth, I worked in various restaurants (in the US) and some of the things I saw would turn your stomach. In addition to the stuff you mentioned, I saw people dropping food on the floor and putting it right back on the plate, sneezing/coughing on the food while preparing it, unclean utensils used to prepare food, old/rancid stuff being used, cockroaches in the food...and then there was the intentional stuff (spitting on the food was the least offensive). Someone told me once that you should never go into the kitchen of a Chinese restaurant if you don't want to lose your appetite. And this is all back in the states! I'm sure some of this stuff is going on in Thailand and all I can say is that ignorance is bliss. As long as I'm not getting sick (knock on wood).

The good old five second rule. If it has not been on the floor more than 5 seconds pick it back up and put it on the plate.

[Moonrakers]

Health issues aside, if I am paying money to eat in any restaurant then I would like all people working there to respect that. If they can't be bothered to put their cigarette out before attending to their paying customers, then I can;t be bothered to give them my custom.