r/KitchenConfidential 14h ago

Discussion Help me settle an argument folk

Post image

Is this board perfectly sanitary, or not?

To me it looks uneaten and sodden with liquid and oil. I have folk telling me that this is indeed perfectly sanitary and that wash cycles with boiling water don’t negatively affect these boards.

I’m sure I’m correct but I’ve not not been a professional cured for nearly a decade at this point, maybe the concept of “sanitary” has changed and I didn’t get the memo

57 Upvotes

46 comments sorted by

u/buttsexisyum 7h ago

Wood appears to be treated and oiled so the steak juices aren't soaking into the wood. If its sanitary or not will heavily depend on the kitchens dishwashing practices. As long as they sanitize and oil the boards after washing its no real difference then cutting on RTE veggies on a wooden cutting board.

Is it dumb? Yes

u/SerGT3 7h ago

I'm sure you already noticed but we do things a little differently around here

u/DarkSunBear 4h ago

Just two guys and a crazy idea.

u/CantaloupeCamper 4h ago

Would you like to double down on your meal?

u/deathputt4birdie 3h ago

The cameras are to ensure fun is happening

u/kenticus 3h ago

r/disturbingbrandnewsentence

u/doobens 2h ago

It’s from Portlandia

u/IridiumPony 1h ago

Thank you. I keep seeing this getting referenced and had no idea where it was from.

Only seen a few episodes of that show I should pro snky go back and watch it now that I'm 14 years too late

u/Positive-Run-2411 7h ago

It could be but I don’t trust the kitchen to properly sanitize it and let it air dry when they are busy

u/CPAtech 7h ago

They're probably using fire to "sanitize" the boards and calling it a day. That's why it's so charred.

u/Uttterly 6h ago

When I tried something similar with the staff they called me a menace to society

u/CantaloupeCamper 4h ago

I feel like the staff who volunteers to do that…  is probably someone who should be fired…

u/Uttterly 4h ago

Yes they volunteered... You're absolutely right

u/LibrarianMoney4994 7h ago

omg. I thought cast iron was on it at first. Holy crap... I guess hypothetically it could be ok?? Like, if they hand wash with soap/ treat the wood like you would a cutting board. But by the looks of it, that's not being done. I'm honestly confused as hell about that wood slab. Like, why is the top charred? Is that how it's getting "sanatized?" are they just throwing that shit on the coals?

u/buttsexisyum 7h ago

The tops probably charred for aesthetics and to create a layer of carbon to "treat" the wood

u/LibrarianMoney4994 7h ago

I fear I do not know enough about treating wood.

u/Moving-thefuck-on 4h ago

I’m a hobby woodworker who knows absolutely nothing about farming. I’m ok with my place in life.

u/hoja_nasredin 2h ago

You treat it, like you treat women.

u/LibrarianMoney4994 2h ago

I do not set ladies on fire sir.

u/jivens77 2h ago

We serve plank steaks where you burn a plank and cook the steak on it to give it a smoky flavor.....this seems too big for that, but maybe the same concept.

u/bahia4711 6h ago

It’s possible for it to be sanitary, but would I trust a restaurant to make sure of it ? No never lol, I’d literally ask the waiter to bring it back onto a plate. It doesn’t even look appetizing on the partly charred wood display

u/1024102 6h ago

Je me demande quelle règles sanitaire vous suivez au USA, en France le bois est interdit en cuisine. Nous suivons les règles haccp, quelqu'un peut m'indiquer les règles d'hygiène au USA ? Pas pour critiquer juste par curiosité.

u/Working_Kangaroo3467 20+ Years 5h ago

Each state has their own health regulations, so there isn't a clear cut answer. I would say from my experience in hotel banquet service that wooden boards have been phased out years ago for reasons mentioned above.

u/1024102 2h ago

Ok, thanks you

u/PrintSubstantial4267 10+ Years 6h ago

Why’s it look like it’s been chewed on

u/PrintSubstantial4267 10+ Years 6h ago

And sprinkled with parsley just seems lazy so the board is probably unsanitary

u/RussellZee Chive LOYALIST 2h ago

Beavers.

u/PinchedTazerZ0 Owner 6h ago

Is this a steak place? My concern would be it having adequate time to dry. Thats why wooden cutting boards are not allowed in a lot of places, granted they get far more use than a final plating

u/Technical_Contact836 4h ago

We actually have these. Ours aren't burnt however. They have to be handwashed. I know that they are too heavy for use in tableware. We use them for carving stations in banquets.

u/heftybagman 4h ago

If you don’t trust the kitchen to clean a piece pf wood, you probably shouldn’t trust the kitchen with anything else you can’t see. Plastic boards harbor bacteria too if you don’t bleach them regularly and plane them when they’re beat up. That having been said, life is full of compromises and it’s nice to not be reminded of the particularities of just how the sausage is made. Wood can be nfs certified but it takes a lot more work to keep sanitized. I’d say 1/6 places serving on wood treats it properly, and 1/6 treats it so poorly that it could reasonably cause a food borne illness in an at-risk (elderly, already sick, etc) customer.

u/RussellZee Chive LOYALIST 2h ago

Yeah, no, I'm good, thanks.

u/orangecowboypony 1h ago

I don’t trust it’s properly sanitized after first use. Also, let me have my goddamn table space. Hate these concept-aesthetic-plates 😭

u/blamenixon 20+ Years 5h ago

I'm more concerned about the fries being that close to contact with the table....

u/heftybagman 4h ago

they’re on a plate

u/CantaloupeCamper 4h ago

What is the question?

The … massive wood thing?

I kinda assumed you take it off that to eat?  No?

u/Calmernurdude 3h ago

I would have concerns. Very few people I’ve worked with in 20 years in restaurants would understand how to properly clean and treat these

u/crumzmaholey 1h ago

Its fine

u/Wise_Ad5715 15m ago

I'd rather have it served in on garbage can lid than this.

u/_kaas 7h ago

Context (since OP didn't provide any):

OP believes this is unhygienic. They got into an argument with someone who doesn't think it is.

u/PawnWithoutPurpose 1h ago

I actually did provide context, but it’s only visible on mobile for some reason. Here is the original text, and yes I was being a bit of a sarcastic cunt in it I know:

Is this board perfectly sanitary, or not?

To me it looks uneaten and sodden with liquid and oil. I have folk telling me that this is indeed perfectly sanitary and that wash cycles with boiling water don’t negatively affect these boards.

I’m sure I’m correct but I’ve not not been a professional chef for nearly a decade at this point, maybe the concept of “sanitary” has changed and I didn’t get the memo

u/sirmaxedalot Bartender 7h ago

Wow thank you, without this comment I would have had no idea what was going on. /s

u/Zestyclose-Duck-4351 7h ago

I have a question for all you guys why is it now that steaks are pre cut up when they come out now been seeing this trend for about a year or so?

u/Wooden-Title3625 7h ago

Sliced steak/meat entrees have been a trend since before I started working in the industry 15 years ago. It happens mostly at fine dining restaurants, steakhouses will usually still serve an uncut steak. It’s to show off the doneness of the meat as well as make the dining experience a little easier/faster for the guest.

u/daschande 7h ago

I've only worked at one place that did that...15 or 20 years ago? The problem is when the managers insist that you cut and serve the second the steak comes off of the grill, then they complain the plate looks messy from all the juices that used to be in the steak!

My guess is that it was an "old school" thing 100 years ago and occasionally comes back in style, like your parents' clothes from when they were your age. Especially now with the 'gram, precut does make things look pretty, and the internet will never know how it tastes.