For many of us, dining out is not just a necessity but a privilege or a way to break the monotony of home-cooked meals. Restaurants in India are categorized as pure-vegetarian, non-vegetarian, or those serving both. When it comes to establishments serving both, patrons often question the sanity and hygiene of kitchens that prepare both vegetarian and non-vegetarian dishes. To a large extent, this doubt is practical. While most places claim to have separate stoves, utensils, chopping boards, and more, the reality can sometimes be beyond imagination. In a recent podcast, celebrity chef Sanjeev Kapoor was asked, "Do restaurants keep veg and non-veg ladles separate?" Here is what he said.
What Did Chef Sanjeev Kapoor Say?
In a podcast session with ANI, Chef Sanjeev Kapoor stated, "Not always, not all places." He further elaborated, "Some places do keep the ladles separate, but some places don't." This revelation has certainly raised concerns about hygiene issues in restaurants. When asked how one can trust the establishment, he responded, "The choice is yours."
Rules for Restaurants by FSSAI
According to the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), one of the fundamental requirements for handling vegetarian and non-vegetarian foods is the use of color-coded chopping boards for cutting and chopping. The green board is designated for fruits and vegetables, blue for raw seafood and fish, red for raw meat, yellow for poultry, white for dairy products, brown for cooked meat, and purple for allergen-free food preparation. Additionally, vegetarian food must bear a green filled circle inside a green square outline, indicating that the product contains only plant-based ingredients and vegetarian-origin items, including milk and dairy products. For non-vegetarian items, a brown filled triangle inside a brown square outline is mandatory, applying to food containing meat, fish, eggs, and more.
What Else Did Chef Sanjeev Say?
He was also asked whether buffets serve leftovers from the previous day. The chef emphasized that the practices followed in household kitchens are similarly implemented in hotel kitchens. “No, I want to clear this misunderstanding. People often ask, ‘What do you do with the food that is left over?’ People in a hotel do exactly what you do with the leftovers at home,” he answered. He stressed that restaurants repurpose food the same way individuals do at home. He added, “So, what exactly is the fault of the poor hotel owners? For starters, they don't actually make that much extra food. Right! You do that at home… [it's just that] they have better science, they are trained, they know all the technicalities, and they know what they are doing. Meanwhile, what you simply discard at home, they discard there as well—it is exactly the same.”
