Things get dropped.
I feel like I could ultimately stop the post here, but I shall continue.
All those lovely pre-arranged pieces of protein and starch accompanied by perfectly cooked vegetables and drizzled sauces. They're delicious aren't they? But I have to tell you, servers and cooks have dirty little fingers that touch things, and though uncommonly, things do touch the dirty floor in restaurants.
"The HORROR!" you say! "This doesn't happen in Stratford, where our illustrious chef school teaches only the best habits and our seasoned servers provide world-class service!"
Well it's true. It's not often but it does happen. What a customer doesn't know wont hurt them, right?
Imagine you are a line cook, it's pre-theatre service and granny has ordered a well-done tenderloin. Finally after 45 minutes of cooking time (a thick steak can take even longer to get to well-done), the rest of the table is ready and it's your big moment. The server is standing at the pass tapping her foot, panic written on her face - which has been translated from the guests asking again and again 'where's my dinner?'. You ready the plate and as you turn with the steak in your tongs, you're bumped, and in slow motion the well-done-45-minute-cook-time-steak flies through the air. As it hits the floor you are there to scoop it back up...now what?
Extra flavour right? Back on the searing hot grill for a few seconds to kill any bacteria right? Your other option is to tell granny that she doesn't get to go to the theatre with food in her belly (or butterfly and deep fry).
We would all like to think that everything we ingest is absolutely clean and sanitary, but the truth is...things get dropped and touched by 'money fingers'. From the cloth that polishes your wine glass to the steak perched atop your confit potatoes: many things are subject to the 'five second rule'. It's horrible, and we all like to turn a blind eye and pretend that everything is 'kosher' but think of yourself at home, have you ever dropped something while preparing dinner? Does it go in the garbage every time?
So accept it, or stop eating out, because even the best in this town are guilty!
Not that I am suggesting restaurants should be lackadaisical toward sanitation, but I think we focus on it too much. I've eaten at places around the world where the "kitchen" is in plain view at the side of the road and prep is very hands-on and have not been sick. The key is to ensure heat is applied! Funny story when it goes too far the other way. At the half point on a long bus ride in Guatemala, we stopped at a truck stop looking forward to some lunch. As we approached the restaurant, one of the locals from the bus, turned around and stated "don't eat here - you'll get sick". So please if you do drop my food, don't tell and maybe give it a little longer on the grill!
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