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You know what ithink

2K views 26 replies 13 participants last post by  jake t buds 
#1 ·
You need to watch more TV. Been watching on show on FYI called "Food Factory" and its been very interesting to see how prepared commercial brand foods are made. Never figured there was so much hands on to making these and all use quality ingredients so don't see why so many are so against buying these. Run out and buy a frozen pizza today
 
#5 ·
There is a place for convenience foods but I am
Happy and eager to make fresh food so I do it most of the time. I work some nights of the week so my husband keeps a few frozen foods on hand if I'm not able to put dinner on the table such Costco frozen meatballs, and frozen fish. Then he'll whip up a tomato sauce and pasta or build a salad and serve it with one of those proteins. I also keep lots of broth, soup and casseroles in the freezer so they always have something to eat.

Besides that and a few frozen peas and blueberries I stick to fresh food. There are certain processed foods that are unavoidable such as dry pasta, canned tomatoes, sliced bread, jam, chips, cereals and condiments. Im not always happy about buying these things but I do try to buy quality brands. It's silly to say that all frozen food is high quality. One look at the ingredient list is all that is needed to know that that's not true 95% of the time. You get what you pay for, that is an unavoidable truth and a dangerous gamble with food.

@ChefTorrie I'm baffled by that because you're not the first chef to say it. I gotta ask, why don't you eat at work before going home? Every restaurant I've worked at we were given a meal.
 
#6 ·
I eat stuff like that way to often. It actually disgusts me how much convenience as well as fast food and delivery I eat. I'm just so burnt and tired after getting home at midnight most nights.
Chef, Your like all other chefs! The last thing we want to do is cook after a long day or even on a day off. I remember working a long day in restaurants with some real nice menus. I could have had anything on the menu but, never had time to eat. In the kitchens that had the bacon on the back of the grill was a easy fatty protein kick. It would make my day when my wife would call and ask me if I wanted her to make up a plate of Stuffed cabbage, meatloaf, or anything that was homemade at home.

Chef, have you ever gone to any food shows in NYC or maybe even Hartford. It is unbelievable how far convenience food has come in the food service industry. I wonder how long it will be when we'll see a 1/4 free range chicken vac packed and cooked Sous Vide then frozen. Then all the kitchen has to do is thaw and reheat to temp. I can also see this happening in casual dining.......Chef Bill
 
#7 ·
I'm with Chef T on this one. After a day or shift in the kitchen, the last thing I want is what ever I've been cooking all day or shift. NO, there is not at all anything wrong with whatever I was working on. I'm very good. I just don't want it. However, working a buffet line carving up prime rib ... that's a much different story.
 
#8 ·
That is a very informational TV show. I was amazed too when I started watching it.

It is interesting how benign some of the food preservation additives are, yet how much bad press they get. I enjoy 'real food" made with "whole food" or "organic" ingredients but necessity requires subsistence off of prepared food items at times. Unfortunately for me that is more often than I'd prefer. I don't worry about getting cancer from most prepared products because of additives, but I do worry about the salt and sugar levels that seem always higher than I'd expect in "real food".
 
#9 · (Edited)
When I was a line dog I was the king of frozen burritos and frozen pizzas-fast and easy, especially when it was just me, at midnight, after a long day at work.

KK, as you can see by some of responses, that Chef Torrie is not alone.  There are many reasons we may not eat at work; there may be a policy against it, the only offering may be family meal which is served usually before dinner service, may not have time to grab family meal if you have too much to do, tired of the food you've been cooking all day-day after day, just want to get home as quickly as possible (or out to the bar), etc.  I will never claim to speak for all cooks and chefs, but the vast majority that I have known, at least in their earlier, single days, survived on fast food, and convenience items.

Dagger, I have usually defended many convenience foods as having their time and place, or as being guilty pleasures, but sorry, they can't compare to homemade fresh foods, 99% of the time.  And on top of it they are loaded with preservatives which we really don't need (this statement does not imply that I believe we are killing ourselves by eating them-sorry all you hard core anti-preservative fanatics), and are often loaded with way too much sodium, sugar and HFCS, which we don't need as we get too much of those things as it is.  These shows, of course, portray these foods in the best light possible.  They only show the best ingredients that they put into the products.  They don't show them adding all the preservatives or HFCS.  They don't show them when they are using less than the best, ripest ingredients.  These shows are edited to only show the best practices so take them with a grain of salt.
 
#10 ·
I have been known to worship at the altar of Sandra Lee but it is usually a dish invented a couple of generations ago and became regional faves that get the pouch and packet treatment.
For instance the quick and very yummy cobbler made with a few cans of pie filling and cake mix and ton of butter.
Or crumbled breakfast sausage added to a pkg of "cream gravy" and served over biscuits .... yeah I can make homemade gravy but it is the zero fat grams of the powdered kind that sux me in.
Of course most of the condiments I cannot live without have a few ingredients I cannot pronounce but let those slide.

As for the frozen pizza and burritos those are staples but I usually add a few things to make it a bit more palatable.
Frozen veg (corn, seasoned summer squash, spinach and of course green peas) not only make it to the table but are just as often used as an ice bag for small people's boo boos lol.

mimi
 
#11 ·
I remember years ago when the only thing in the Prefab, ready to eat, heat and serve, peel off the clear wrap and microwave, new and improved, better than Yadda Yadda Yadda....... was a fish stick TV dinner. I remember the TV dinner really sucking. If you look at the freezer section in Costco it would make you think no one cooks anymore. The salt content is taking care off all our  "Taste" needs now a days. Don't worry because the Doctor is right there with a pill to bring you back to normal. Blood pressure to high, no problem, here yah go. I wonder how many kids are Graduating from school now a days knowing how to cook. I know their not learning much but, they can teach them how to at least cook a meal. Mom and Dads are working, the kid comes home from school pops a pizza in the oven opens a Pepsi and a bag of chips and the night begins. Mom stops at KFC for extra crisp chicken and the only mashed potatoes and gravy they have tasted since Grandmas homemade Thanksgiving dinner. This food will soon kill us but, don't worry they will freeze our fat asses until they come out with another pill to get our organs back in shape. Thats what I think!
 
#12 ·
KK, as you can see by some of responses, that Chef Torrie is not alone. There are many reasons we may not eat at work; there may be a policy against it, the only offering may be family meal which is served usually before dinner service, may not have time to grab family meal if you have too much to do, tired of the food you've been cooking all day-day after day, just want to get home as quickly as possible (or out to the bar), etc. I will never claim to speak for all cooks and chefs, but the vast majority that I have known, at least in their earlier, single days, survived on fast food, and convenience items.

[/quote]

It makes perfect sense it's just a bit ironic isn't it? I worked as a waitress and hostess for as long as I was a poor college student so I never passed up the free meal at restaurants. We never had a family meal, we were always allowed to order whatever we wanted off the menu except for the biggest ticket items like lamb chops and lobster etc. Those things were only allowed on our birthday or other special occasions. It was a delicious time in my life ;)
 
#14 · (Edited)
It makes perfect sense it's just a bit ironic isn't it? I worked as a waitress and hostess for as long as I was a poor college student so I never passed up the free meal at restaurants. We never had a family meal, we were always allowed to order whatever we wanted off the menu except for the biggest ticket items like lamb chops and lobster etc. Those things were only allowed on our birthday or other special occasions. It was a delicious time in my life /img/vbsmilies/smilies/wink.gif
Oh, believe me, the irony is not lost on me!!! /img/vbsmilies/smilies/smile.gif When I first started dating the woman who would become my wife, she used to tell all her friends that I was a chef at one of the best restaurants in Chicago. Of course, they were all envious, thinking that she was treated to culinary wonders every night. She had to burst their bubbles, saying that yes, when I cooked it was wonderful, but way more often than not, when I came home after a 10-16 hour day, all I wanted to do was pop a pizza in the oven, open and beer, and veg out in front the TV.

My cook buddies and I would have numerous debates about the best frozen pizza and burritos and what toppings to add to make them better (and to make ourselves feel better about eating such crap).
 
#15 · (Edited)
Ahhhh, oh so true guys and gals. I'm currently newly single again, with no huge rush to get into a fast relationship. So, when I don't have my daughter, like most said, it's frozen burritos, frozen pizza, chicken tenders, etc, and a cold beer or two. I do try to get at least half decent quality frozen food. Try not to scratch the bottom of barrel too often. Like others have said, I always have the go to add ons and modifiers for the pizza and burritos, lol.

We make family (boh staff only, FOH gets 50 percent off most of the menu) meal every day. I just rarely eat it. And whoever makes family meal always does a great job, really. After working in kitchens for so long I just usually am not feeling it. And since at my current workplace I am exec chef, I have the privilege to whip up anything (on the menu or not) for myself, but again. I rarely do. If anything I'll whip up something real nice, aside from the staff meal, later on in the night, and give it to whoever is in the dishpit. Dishwashers get paid the least, and are so soo valuable. I always try and make sure I make then a little something special.

And @Koukouvagia , believe me, it sounds weird, and might be hard to understand, but it's just the way it is I guess. I think it's much different for servers or host/hostesses than it is for cooks. As other people have stated, the food myself and my staff put out are amazing. Our ingredients are great quality, and they always execute. But again, like somebody else pointed out. After tasting almost every stock, dressing, soup, dish, at all stages of the cooking process, all different, sour, savory, rich, acidic, sweet, salty, bitter, garlicky, creamy etc, it's often just a turn off.

I forget who said it, but I also a lot of the time with go for a couple strips of our cherry or apple wood house smoked bacon for that rich fatty protein kick.
 
#16 · (Edited)
Have any of you ever spit in a costumers food or sneezed on a plate or in big pot and served it? Ever licked the spoon and reused if? It must be very hard not to do any of the things you do at home in your own kitchen.

And yes I have wondered if these shows are telling the whole story and are the food prep people that happy doing the same job. I wondered how are all these machines cleaned every day, still interesting show. Was going to start watching them kitchen nightmare shows but figured do i really want to know. My mom told me you never know who is preparing your meals so learn to cook
 
#19 ·
I was once at a dinner party and the hostess served soup as the first course. There were about 10 of us there. After the soup course was over she spilled the soup remaining in each of our bowls back into the pot. I had a very difficult time making myself eat any of the following courses.

At a restaurant I am more comfortable that people have been instructed and/or passes some sort of certification about food safety and hygiene and that there is at least a manager or chef in the kitchen keeping an eye on such behavior. Too many home cooks are either ignorant of these practices or just don't care.
 
#20 · (Edited)
How about the new trend, pre measured ingredients set to your home with instructions on how to cook them and make the meal. Seen ads for a few different one besides something blue. I was thinking of trying this but the price and getting locked in holds me back.

Doing something to someone's meal is low but I have known this to have happen, scum of the earth these people are. I can't belive any of you never did the spoon trick at home, you would need to have 10 spoons just for tasting alone.

Question, how do you keep the grease build up in sink pipes? Our kitchen sink was filled with grease build up almost closing it off guy shows us when we had kitchen remodel. It wasn't the elbow but pip after that and he said happens to all sink pipes over time. Must be something you guys deal with alot
 
#22 ·
Actually you need only 2 spoons: one spoon to dip into the pot and pour into the other spoon, which you put in your mouth. You can repeat this as any times as needed without the need for more spoons.
Actually you need only 2 spoons: one spoon to dip into the pot and pour into the other spoon, which you put in your mouth. You can repeat this as any times as needed without the need for more spoons.
[/quote/ never thought of that, it works
 
#24 ·
How about the new trend, pre measured ingredients set to your home with instructions on how to cook them and make the meal. Seen ads for a few different one besides something blue. I was thinking of trying this but the price and getting locked in holds me back.

Doing something to someone's meal is low but I have known this to have happen, scum of the earth these people are. I can't belive any of you never did the spoon trick at home, you would need to have 10 spoons just for tasting alone.

Question, how do you keep the grease build up in sink pipes? Our kitchen sink was filled with grease build up almost closing it off guy shows us when we had kitchen remodel. It wasn't the elbow but pip after that and he said happens to all sink pipes over time. Must be something you guys deal with alot
Dagger, try to keep threads to one topic, please. Firing off numerous questions about things unrelated to the original post just kind of muddies the waters and it makes it difficult for people, who might have the same question, to find the answers if it isn't in its own thread. Thanks.
 
#25 ·
I was once at a dinner party and the hostess served soup as the first course. There were about 10 of us there. After the soup course was over she spilled the soup remaining in each of our bowls back into the pot. I had a very difficult time making myself eat any of the following courses.

At a restaurant I am more comfortable that people have been instructed and/or passes some sort of certification about food safety and hygiene and that there is at least a manager or chef in the kitchen keeping an eye on such behavior. Too many home cooks are either ignorant of these practices or just don't care.
I wonder who serves so much soup as a first course that all ten guests didn't finish?
 
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