Recent food hygiene concerns are making diners think twice before ordering a meal. From questions around expired ingredients and fake paneer to reports of worms and insects being found in food, the fear is real.
But should people stop eating out altogether? Celebrity chefs Sanjeev Kapoor and Anahita Dhondy say consumers can be more alert without living in fear. Speaking to NDTV’s Shiv Aroor, they shared practical checks diners can use when choosing where to eat.
Sanjeev Kapoor Asks Diners To Look At The price
Sanjeev Kapoor said diners can start by looking beyond the menu. According to him, price can sometimes be a filter. If one business consistently charges more for the same product while another offers it at a much lower price, there could be reasons behind the difference.
He pointed to costs that responsible food businesses have to bear, including taxes, employee benefits, and medical examinations for food service staff.
He also suggested looking at how long a business has survived. If a restaurant has been operating consistently for years and has maintained its standards, that is certainly reassuring.
But he also wants restaurants to become more transparent. Chef Kapoor believes technology could help restaurants build trust with customers. He recommended, “Maybe there is an online 24-hour camera view that is available, right, which I can see, I can take a virtual tour of the back areas of a place.”
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He said large establishments could take the lead in offering customers greater access to their kitchens. Chef Sanjeev Kapoor believes customers have a right to know more about the food they are paying for. If a business refuses to offer basic transparency, consumers can choose where they spend their money.
He also offered a clear reminder for diners who always chase the lowest price and said, “If it is too good to be true, if the price is too low, remember you are paying it through your life.”
Anahita Dhondy: Don’t Let The Headlines Scare You Away
Anahita Dhondy acknowledged that diners are understandably worried. But she also stressed that these incidents do not mean every restaurant has a hygiene problem. “It’s not happening everywhere,” she said.
She said there can be pockets where restaurants face problems with cockroaches, insects, or worms. The responsibility, according to her, is to have systems in place to prevent such problems from reaching the customer.
Anahita Dhondy spoke about the systems followed in professional kitchens. She explained that her teams have opening and closing checklists. These include knowing what needs to be refrigerated, what can remain at room temperature, and how food should be handled.
She also highlighted the importance of teaching teams about hygiene and HACCP.
Dhondy said customers who are particularly concerned should not hesitate to ask questions, saying, “Customers have the right to know where they’re getting their food from.”
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And there is one easy thing diners can look for: the kitchen itself. Many restaurants now have open kitchens, allowing customers to see at least part of the food preparation area. She advises, “Please go to places and please ask because you have the right to.”
She also pointed to large hotels and restaurants where kitchens are visible or where strict hygiene systems are followed. She recalled her experience working at the Taj, saying staff hygiene was closely monitored.
“They used to come and take our fingerprints to check, you know, if we are sanitizing or if we’re cleaning,” she remembered, adding that such systems may exist in some establishments but not others. With the current scrutiny around food hygiene, she believes restaurants of every size need to take the initiative.
