Hair does not belong in the food

Yesterday I was hanging out in Salem with Matt and Kate. Kate is a vegetarian, so lunch could have been a challenge. I despise people who make vegetarians feel like they are a bother when choosing a restaurant. It is more challenging of course than it would have been if it were just Matt and I. We would have probably eaten a hot dog and moved on. But that doesn't mean that their eating choices should be discussed for hours on the sidewalk. Thankfully we had a Salem visitors guide and I found a cute little sandwich shop that touted vegan and vegetarian options. Even better, the place was reasonable.

Kate ordered a vegetarian wrap. I saved the table, because the place was packed; Matt bought me a tuna fish sandwich and he ordered a chicken Caesar salad(see everyone makes healthier choices when hanging out with Kate). We realized how hungry we were once we started eating the food. Kate stopped 1/4 way into her wrap and says "that's not mine." She pulled a hair out that didn't match any of our hair. Kate was of course completely grossed out. I felt awful, because meals are completely ruined by hair. Kate felt bad going up and telling the owner. My big mouth wasn't.

"We found hair in our food." ~ Me
"Oh that's not supposed to be there." ~ Owner

OF COURSE IT WASN'T SUPPOSED TO BE THERE!!! The owner gave me a new sandwich completely embarrassed about the situation. It probably didn't help that I told him in a small sandwich shop full of customers that there was hair in the food, but hair doesn't belong in food. The first thing we learn in culinary school is keep your hair in a hat. I get grossed out if I find my own hair in my food. It's just really not appetizing and it gets stuck in your throat...bleck grossing me out just writing about it.

Today I received a industry magazine for chefs. I was a little depressed going through the magazine and seeing one article after another about how the restaurant industry isn't doing so hot. There were articles about ways to bring people in, basic marketing, ect. I think there should have been a piece about simple mistakes that will ruin a customers meal.

Hair in the food would be on the top of my list for an article like that. The economy makes things harder, but avoiding simple mistakes and cooking good food are the true keys to restaurant success.

Hope you enjoy the picture of Kate and me hanging out with Sam from Bewitched. Despite the hair in the food, we had a blast.

Happy Eating!!!

Emily