Showerthought: the old line cook at my first job who taught me to taste with a clean spoon

Michael Green · 2026-09-12T01:05:04.039475+00:00

Back in 2009 I was a dishwasher at a spot in Columbus and this old line cook named Pete grabbed my arm one night mid rush and handed me a spoon. He said taste the sauce before you send it, then he dropped the spoon in the trash and grabbed a new one, every single time. I thought it was just him being picky until he explained that a dirty spoon carries whatever you ate last and you'll never catch a bad batch that way. Now I watch new kids on the line dip one spoon back in the pot over and over and I just cringe. Any of you still keep a cup of clean spoons on your station or is that just an old habit nobody does anymore?

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Showerthought: the old line cook at my first job who taught me to taste with a clean spoon | Chefs - Free To Speak