Dr Oz Restaurant Survival Guide: Michael Symon Dirty Dining Secrets

Dr Oz: Michael Symon

Going out to eat is a great way to unwind and let someone else do the work. But do you ever think about what’s going on behind those closed kitchen doors? Dr Oz invited chef and restaurateur Michael Symon, from Food Network’s Iron Chef and ABC’s The Chew, to share some insider secrets you’ll want to know before your next meal out.

Restaurant Waiter Secrets

Under the condition of anonymity, Dr Oz also invited four waiters to share the shocking restaurant secrets you may want to know before you make a dinner reservation for your next date night.

Dr Oz: No Fish On Mondays

Don’t order the fish on Mondays, said one of the servers. This is the day it’s least likely to be fresh.

The servers who bring the food to your table don’t wear gloves, probably ever. That means they could have just come from the bathroom before touching your plate.

Also, the dishwasher in your restaurant kitchen may just be rinsing that plate if they’re really busy.

Michael Symon Restaurant Advice

Michael Symon is a host of The Chew and the owner of eight restaurants. He said it’s true that restaurants cut corners, so it’s important to have a perspective about what’s going on behind the scenes. Saving money on labor or food cost means cutting corners and reusing whatever you can. That means you truly do get what you pay for. If that deal seems too good to be true, it likely is.

Michael Symon: Restaurants & Dirty Lemons

The lemons at your favorite restaurant might as well have come off the floor. They pick up bacteria from every surface imaginable, especially hands. Dr Oz tested five lemons from different restaurants. All of them tested positive for germs such as Mold bacteria and Candida Yeast, which is most common in the mouth and vagina.

Michael Symon said you might want to ask for your lemon on the side next time (or skip it altogether! This is gross!).

Restaurant Bathroom Test

Here’s an easy test you can do during your next meal out. Is your restaurant bathroom dirty? If the answer is yes, the kitchen is probably just as gross, if not worse. Michael Symon said the bathroom and the staff are the two easiest ways to judge a restaurant.

Michael Symon: Hit The Buffet Early

Buffets are serving up more than just a smorgasboard. They’re also a breeding ground for bacteria. Since foods are heated from the bottom, sometimes the top of the dish gets cold. That leaves the middle portion warm and creates a playground for bacteria.

Dr Oz’s staff tested scrambled eggs from a buffet and discovered that they’re not made from real eggs. Instead, they’re from the liquid protein cartons of eggs (which has got to be easier than cracking 12 dozen eggs to make a huge batch.

The best hope at a buffet is getting there early, before bacteria has had a chance to breed and set into the food. You’re likely still going to get cheap substitutes such as fake eggs, but at least you might not be leaving with a new disease.

Dr Oz: Restaurant Espresso Vs Coffee

If you order coffee at a restaurant after 8 p.m., you’re probably getting Decaf by default. Servers try to keep it simple later in the shift, making one big pot of decaf instead of two separate pots. But if you order Espresso, you know you’re getting something fresh and caffeinated, since it’s prepared in individual servings.