Most of us consider food to be a source of joy, so it's easy to forget how dangerous it can be. But understanding food safety is crucial, especially when working in a restaurant or store. To learn more about this topic, we got in touch with Neil Bradley, Chef, Founder and CEO of Kitchen Operating System. Neil was kind enough to have a chat with Bored Panda and explain just how important food safety is.
“As a chef and restaurateur, I’ve seen firsthand the lengths restaurants and food businesses go to ensure food safety,” he shared. “Let’s be honest—poisoning your customers is not a great business model! Beyond the immediate health risks of foodborne illnesses, such as Salmonella or E. coli, there’s also the damage to trust and reputation, which can be devastating for any business.”
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Neil says food safety is about much more than just preventing catastrophe— it’s also about respect. “Respect for the ingredients, the people preparing the food, and most importantly, the customers who put their trust in you,” he explained. “When corners are cut, it not only risks health but also undermines the integrity of the entire industry.”
So what are some of the most common mistakes that people make when it comes to preparing food safely? “One of the most common mistakes I’ve seen, especially in home cooking, is not cooking h**h-risk foods properly—something that’s particularly relevant this time of year with turkeys and hams,” Neil shared. “In professional kitchens, we have thermometers at hand to ensure precise cooking. But at home, many people rely on guesswork, which can be risky.”
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“Cross-contamination is another big issue,” the expert noted. “In restaurants, we use a system of colour coded chopping boards (and sometimes knives) assigned to different food types—raw, cooked, fish, vegetables, etc.—to minimize risks. Home cooks, on the other hand, might only have one or two boards, which can lead to contamination if not cleaned properly between uses.”
“On a larger scale, I’ve also seen businesses stumble on paperwork,” Neil noted. “Publicly available hygiene ratings are a great step forward, but they aren’t always reliable. I’ve known exceptionally clean and hygienic food businesses that have lost marks due to misunderstood or misapplied regulations, especially around documentation. On the flip side, there are businesses that score higher than they probably should simply because their paperwork is immaculate.”
So what should customers do if they find something unexpected, or even dangerous, in their food? “Foreign objects in food are rare but can happen,” Neil told Bored Panda. “Restaurant kitchens are busy, chaotic places, and despite everyone’s best efforts, mistakes do occasionally slip through.”
“It could be a piece of a plastic container, the end of a rubber spatula, or something similar. I still vividly recall a kitchen I worked in where the end of a spatula broke off into a risotto that was served to the Michelin-starred chef-owner,” he revealed. “Fortunately, he took it well, figuring it was better it happened to him than an actual customer!”
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Neil says that, if you do find something unexpected, the first step is to remain calm and let the restaurant know. “A good restaurant will apologize profusely, investigate immediately, and make it right—whether that’s a replacement dish, a free meal, or a round of drinks,” he shared. “Most chefs and restaurant teams take incidents like this very seriously because they care deeply about their food and their customers.”
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“That said, if something dangerous or more severe happens, like a shard of glass or a sharp object, it’s important to document it, keep the item, and potentially report it to your local food safety authority,” the expert added. “It’s extremely rare, but these incidents can pose serious risks and need to be addressed properly.”
Neil actually said that glass is effectively banned in commercial kitchens, and for good reason. “Glass breakages can contaminate everything in the area, and the risks far outweigh the convenience,” he explained. “Professional kitchens usually rely on stainless steel, silicone, or plastic for food prep and storage.”
“At the end of the day, accidents happen, but most restaurants will go above and beyond to fix them because customer trust is everything in this industry,” Neil says. “Also, a word of advice: don’t try to ‘set up’ a foreign object in your food to score a free meal. Trust me, we know when it’s been staged, and it’s not worth the embarrassment.”
