Do buffets serve leftovers, is the ladle for veg and non-veg food kept separate? Chef Sanjeev Kapoor reveals the truth

In a recent podcast, Sanjeev Kapoor addressed myths about restaurant food practices, particularly the use of leftovers in buffets. Here's what he said.

What goes on behind the doors at a restaurant is always a mystery. On May 1, chef Sanjeev Kapoor appeared on the ANI Podcast with Smita Prakash to address lesser-known facts about the hospitality industry. One question the chef was asked during the conversation was whether buffets serve yesterday's leftovers.

Do buffets serve leftovers?

During the podcast, Sanjeev Kapoor was asked if buffets serve leftovers from the previous day. To answer the question, the chef stressed that the rules followed in household kitchens are also practised 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 the food the same way we 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 a 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.”

How did the internet react?

Sanjeev Kapoor's answer divided the internet. While some Instagram users stressed that customers who pay for fresh food at restaurants don't deserve to be fed leftovers, a few came to the chef's defence.

One user commented, “That's a very misleading justification of what restaurants do. Do they transparently tell customers that they are serving them yesterday’s food? Do they reduce prices? Who ensures quality is not degraded in this reuse process?”

Someone else wrote, “Having conducted over 500 food hygiene inspections, I have found that consistent temperature control and overall kitchen hygiene play a far more critical role in ensuring food safety. It is safe and acceptable for food to be produced and served at a later date when temperature control is robust and all critical temperatures are met.”

A few other misconceptions…

During the interview, the chef was also asked if restaurants keep ladles used for vegetarian and non-vegetarian food separate, to which he replied ‘not always,’ stressing that most of the time it depends on the place and whether you trust the restaurant.

Sanjeev Kapoor was also asked whether 5-star kitchens have hygiene issues, but they hide them well, to which he answered confidently, “They can't afford to be because the standards and inspections are high.” When asked about the corruption and how many hotels pay food inspectors to get a good rating, he called the hotel owners corrupt and demanded that Indians practise more cleanliness.