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While we sit back, relax and enjoy the slow-passing time at a restaurant table, slowly devouring a savory appetizer, impatiently dreaming of the meal we’re about to be served fresh straight from the kitchen, things can go wrong on the other side of the curtain. Although we’d like to think we are 100 percent sure of the restaurant’s quality, freshness, and hygiene—after all, it’s buzzing with people and you couldn’t trick them, right?—this is not always the case.

In fact, the restaurant industry and especially the very core of it—the holy kitchen—is notorious for keeping its secrets tight shut. The good and the bad ones. From reheated shrimp cocktail to restaurant staff having nicknames for regular customers, to a chef that cooks expensive meals 11 hours a day only to have dino nuggies at home.

Thanks to the subreddit “Kitchen Confidential,” there are a lot of stories to discover about the daily bread and butter of food industry professionals, so we selected the most interesting ones below. Scroll down and after you’re done, be sure to check out more kitchen confidential posts right here!

#3

Seems Accurate

Seems Accurate

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Pa4040
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Typically means "you will be overworked and underpaid so that you can achieve the owner's financial expectations while you are given free pizza on Friday (but only if you provide excellent results)".

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There are many reasons why people love eating out. We like the fun of it, the change of place and atmosphere, the opportunity to see people and meet friends, to dress up and relax, forget about things back home or at work, treat ourselves, or simply save time. All are solid reasons just showing how much we all waited for the restaurants, eateries and cafes to open again after the worldwide lockdowns.

Having said that, we can't ignore the obvious—it’s getting pretty darn expensive to eat out. Restaurant prices have increased by 5.8% since the beginning of 2021, which is the highest 12-month increase since 1982. This is because groceries got more expensive this year, with the overall cost rising by 6.4%, which is the largest 12-month jump since 2008. The numbers are mind-blowing. Just think of it—the cost of beef has risen most, with a 20.9% jump. Overall, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that consumer price inflation for goods across the board has risen by 6.8%.

#4

One Of My Employees Keeps This So Clean, He Did This After A 26k Saturday Night. Show My Guy Darian Some Love He Deserves It And Doesn’t Get Enough

One Of My Employees Keeps This So Clean, He Did This After A 26k Saturday Night. Show My Guy Darian Some Love He Deserves It And Doesn’t Get Enough

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similarly
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Only reason Darian doesn't wear a cape is because it'd be an OSHA violation.

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#5

I Don't Want That Ham If It's Been Processed, I'm Trying To Eat Healthier

I Don't Want That Ham If It's Been Processed, I'm Trying To Eat Healthier

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What does that mean to us? Well, eating nice and well is getting very costly. This applies to both restaurant meals and home dinners, and even breakfast plates. Especially if we’re talking about nutritious and well-balanced diets. It’s no secret that many people are convinced, probably more than ever, that eating cheap and healthy is impossible, and that healthy foods cost an arm and a leg.

To find out how true that is, Bored Panda spoke with Charlie Middleton, a lecturer in Nursing at the University of Dundee. Charlie has a broad area of interests including health inequalities, nutrition, and the early years of life.“One example is how certain foods are marketed as so-called 'superfoods' ( i.e. avocado) and are given higher price tags, but many very nutritious foods are actually very cheap,” she told us. “Another is the way researchers have measured the cost of food... Consider two bars of chocolate, one regular and one with less fat. If we use a price-per-calorie measurement, the lower-fat chocolate bar seems more expensive because it contains fewer calories.”

#7

I’m With The Boomers On This

I’m With The Boomers On This

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#8

Not As Good As Some I've Seen, But It's Mine And I'm Proud

Not As Good As Some I've Seen, But It's Mine And I'm Proud

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However, the studies comparing prices per unit weight of food from the same food group reveal interesting results. “They show how healthy options are often cheaper—for example, if we think about a source of protein; 200 g of chickpeas versus 200 g of chicken breast. Chickpeas are often priced cheaper than a chicken breast.”

When asked what cheap and nutritious products we should all add to our grocery shopping bag, Charlie said that there are many things. “In general, plant-based products cost less than meat or fish, but tinned products can be cheap and nutritious options if these are a part of your diet. Vegetables in season are often cheaper than others. At this time of the year in the UK, root vegetables are very cheap and affordable. Dried red lentils (for example) are store cupboard ingredients that cost pence and can be kept for years. Frozen vegetables also keep for long periods and remain nutritious.”

#10

I’m On My Last Few Days At The Industrial Bakery I Manage. Our 160qt Mixer, Pete, Broke Down So We Won’t Be Able To Use It. I Did The One Thing I’ve Been Dying To Do For Years Since He Arrived

I’m On My Last Few Days At The Industrial Bakery I Manage. Our 160qt Mixer, Pete, Broke Down So We Won’t Be Able To Use It. I Did The One Thing I’ve Been Dying To Do For Years Since He Arrived

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#11

Found On The Facebook

Found On The Facebook

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#12

Just A Friendly Reminder That It's Ok To Quit Your Job

Just A Friendly Reminder That It's Ok To Quit Your Job

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Some skeptics claim that cheap and healthy meals take ages to prepare and that’s their biggest disadvantage. But Charlie argues the opposite. “Lots of cheap and healthy foods can be cooked in minutes. Tinned tomatoes make a great base for a pasta sauce and cost a lot less than processed sauce. Add seasonal vegetables and legumes to increase the nutrition. Batch cooking for the week ahead, and freezing portions also saves time,” she concluded.

#13

Flipping Burgers

Flipping Burgers

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Nika De Beer
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Tried it once, now have constant anxiety when I hear the sound of cutlery lol

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#18

She's Been With Me Ten Years, Through Four Head Chefs. Today, She Clicked Her Last Clack

She's Been With Me Ten Years, Through Four Head Chefs. Today, She Clicked Her Last Clack

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#19

Line Cooks - This Is Probably Old But It’s New To Me. A Friend Just Sent This My Way

Line Cooks - This Is Probably Old But It’s New To Me. A Friend Just Sent This My Way

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#20

Who Else ?

Who Else ?

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#21

The Exact Moment I Realized This Is My Kitchen And My Menu! After Years Of Being Told To, I Pulled The Trigger And Dived All In

The Exact Moment I Realized This Is My Kitchen And My Menu! After Years Of Being Told To, I Pulled The Trigger And Dived All In

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#22

This One Stung A Little

This One Stung A Little

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#24

I Have Gone From Being Drunk In Kitchens, To Recovering Through Them. It’s Been A Wild Journey But I’m Extremely Proud Of Myself. To Anyone Struggling With Addiction, Just Know There Is Hope

I Have Gone From Being Drunk In Kitchens, To Recovering Through Them. It’s Been A Wild Journey But I’m Extremely Proud Of Myself. To Anyone Struggling With Addiction, Just Know There Is Hope

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Angela Kelley
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Not an easy feat, especially working in the restaurant industry, I applaud your tenacity! I hope you are as healthy & happy as can be.

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#25

Strip Club Food Gets Hate But I Took Pride In Everything I Would Do. I Made The Brioche Bread, No Frozen Patties Either. Everything Was Fresh

Strip Club Food Gets Hate But I Took Pride In Everything I Would Do. I Made The Brioche Bread, No Frozen Patties Either. Everything Was Fresh

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#27

Soup Du Jour

Soup Du Jour

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#28

From Dishie, To “Prep B**ch” And Now I’m Officially On The Line! Can I Get A Heard For The New Promotion?

From Dishie, To “Prep B**ch” And Now I’m Officially On The Line! Can I Get A Heard For The New Promotion?

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#31

Cook Expensive Meals For 10-11 Hours A Day, Come Home And Eat Dino Nuggies

Cook Expensive Meals For 10-11 Hours A Day, Come Home And Eat Dino Nuggies

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#32

20 Minutes Past Morning Arrival. Only Cook In The Building. Same 3 Have Called Out The Entire Week. Still Gonna Make Killer Food

20 Minutes Past Morning Arrival. Only Cook In The Building. Same 3 Have Called Out The Entire Week. Still Gonna Make Killer Food

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#33

I've Had This Saved For Over A Year. Finally A Sub That Will Appreciate It

I've Had This Saved For Over A Year. Finally A Sub That Will Appreciate It

katie-m-10315 Report

#35

Head Chef Cutting Bread On The Same Spot. Finally Getting Through The Board

Head Chef Cutting Bread On The Same Spot. Finally Getting Through The Board

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#36

May This Person Find Their Special Pickle

May This Person Find Their Special Pickle

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#37

I Need Cut Gloves Made Of Tomato Skin

I Need Cut Gloves Made Of Tomato Skin

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Shark
Community Member
2 years ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Ok but why is this so relatable lol (edit: i just realized how creepy this sounds, i was talking about cooking lmao)

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#38

Day 1 Of Our New Dishie, Bless His Innocent Soul

Day 1 Of Our New Dishie, Bless His Innocent Soul

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#39

Our Sous Just Walked In

Our Sous Just Walked In

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#40

Does My Supplier Hate Me? We Ordered 150 Lbs Of Halibut For The Weekend, We Got One 152lb. Fish. I Wanted A Few Collars Man!

Does My Supplier Hate Me? We Ordered 150 Lbs Of Halibut For The Weekend, We Got One 152lb. Fish. I Wanted A Few Collars Man!

f**ks_equal_zero Report

#42

Taco Bell™ Manager: Serve Spoiled Food Or Be Fired

Taco Bell™ Manager: Serve Spoiled Food Or Be Fired

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#43

A Local Bar In A Small Beach Tourist Town I Live At Made Merch Out Of Some Bad Reviews

A Local Bar In A Small Beach Tourist Town I Live At Made Merch Out Of Some Bad Reviews

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#44

I Want To Know, Who Was That Client And What Their Nickname?

I Want To Know, Who Was That Client And What Their Nickname?

ElyKreimendahl Report

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Douglas Turner
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Found out they call us The Really Nice Couple. I knew growing up was a mistake.

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#45

The Drain At My Job Has Been Clogged For A Week And We've Been Using The Bars Tiny Sink Plus Filling The Sink With Water And Then Emptying It To The Toilet With Buckets,for Full Freaking Week

The Drain At My Job Has Been Clogged For A Week And We've Been Using The Bars Tiny Sink Plus Filling The Sink With Water And Then Emptying It To The Toilet With Buckets,for Full Freaking Week

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neilbidle avatar
Devil's Advocate
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

How hard is it to unclog a sink, I'd have done it myself rather than carry all those buckets of water, would have been quicker!

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#46

Found On Instagram. I Love This Note Though And Thought You All Would Appreciate

Found On Instagram. I Love This Note Though And Thought You All Would Appreciate

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aaaggg hhh
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

No customer should have to make up the difference on how stingy a sh*tty employer is! That's blackmail! BREAK THE CYCLE!

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#47

You Know When The Burger Will Be Way Too Expensive

You Know When The Burger Will Be Way Too Expensive

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#49

Was Handed This Allergy List By A Customer. Things Went Downhill From There

Was Handed This Allergy List By A Customer. Things Went Downhill From There

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#50

Nfckff

Nfckff

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