Good day, Everyone. It has come to our attention that we must stress the importance of working safely in the kitchen. Careful as we are, we’ve had a few accidents in the past 2 weeks. We implore that you take in these reminders and follow them every time you cook or bake. We make these mistakes ourselves. Do us a favor, don’t copy our blunders. Make your own.
Firstly, I’ve had the odd hair fall into the food because my long hair wasn’t pulled back. This is why chefs wear tall hats and hair nets. It’s disgusting to find other people’s DNA in your meal, even more true to pull a hair out of your mouth covered in sauces or cheese. I’m thankful that my hair hasn’t gotten caught in a machine. If there aren’t any tall hats or hair nets around, tie your hair back and put it up with clips to keep it out of your face and out of the food.
It’s always in a cook/baker’s best interest to use the most qualified tool for the job. During our baozi cook, we didn’t have a bamboo steamer. The safe option for lack of steamers is to put aluminum foil balls at the bottom of the boiling pot with a heat-proof plate over the top. We made the HUGE mistake of using paper towel on a cooling rack over boiling water. The paper towel was so flimsy, it flew off the top as I took off the baozi, fell underneath the pot into the flames and caught on fire. (NO, THIS WAS NOT THE TIME TO BE TAKING PICTURES OR VIDEOS. DON’T ASK!) It was scarier than every B-rated horror movie I’ve ever seen.We were able to put it out with water without damaging anything. Most kitchen fires can be solved with water, but it’s always important to have easy access to a fire extinguisher just in case.
This is a huge note; IF AN OBJECT IS HIGHLY FLAMMABLE, KEEP IT AWAY FROM THE FLAMES! Be ready for any and all fires that may occur. If it’s a grease fire, DO NOT USE WATER! For Specific instructions see HERE. If a fire gets out of control, or if you’re not sure how to put it out, take it from Elmo and Maria when a fire broke out a Hooper’s Store. Get low and go call the fire dept. Putting out fires is why they train and gear up. If you try and play the hero if it’s a job too big or too confusing. Make the call. Don’t take the fall.
Our most recent mistake was with our equipment. We were making poached eggs with a special pot. We’re not sure how this one occurred. Somehow, either the pot sat on too high of a heat setting for too long, or the steel had discolored from being used so many times. The pot has since been scrubbed and cleaned like new, with new restrictions as to who may use it. This is a reminder to use the lowest setting necessary when working with heat, and to always know how your tools function, especially if you’re switching between electric, manual or gas powered. Medium on an electric stove isn’t as powerful as a gas stove on medium.
Safety is everyone’s responsibility wherever you go. Nothing is more important than everyone staying out of the emergency room. I’ve heard of people getting stitches just for cutting a bagel the wrong way. Oven mitts, stretchy gloves and flame-proof tools were made for a reason. They keep you from getting hurt. If you need help, ask for it. You won’t get hurt by asking questions, or needing someone to help you handle something. If worse comes to worst, you can order-in. For everyone’s sake, if you are in the kitchen for any reason, preparing food or not, please remember, Safety Comes First!