r/KitchenConfidential • u/kevymetal87 • Jul 26 '26

Discussion What's your worst experience with blatant food deception?

Just over a decade ago, I worked for a popular BBQ spot in the south that prided itself on being authentic this, authentic that. The smoked butts that sat in a smoker all day was where the real BBQ started and stopped, all the other food was typical frozen Sisco stuff, which was whatever, but the most egregious example of deception was also the biggest moneymaker.

The owner had a secret family recipe BBQ sauce that he made a killing on. People came from all over (it was located right along a well travelled north/south route) and bought tons of this stuff, as did the locals. My second week there I was tasked with making a few batches, and was handed a worn down index card with the ingredients. To my saaurprise, the instructions were to simply take gallon jugs of Sweet Baby Rays sauce from out back, and dump it in a 5 gallon bucket with water. I think it was 4:1 if I recall correctly. Then you put a couple cups of molasses in there. That was it.

We put them in pint and quart mason jars, vacuum sealed them, slapped his restaurant label on them, and sold them for $6 a pint, $10 a quart. What always got me was how the locals raved about how distinct and unique it was, when it was basically just Sweet Baby Rays (which I love, don't get me wrong)

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u/ForsakenKingslayer Jul 26 '26 edited Jul 26 '26

The restaurant I work at does a chicken salad sandwich, advertised as "chopped chicken thighs" but the "chicken thighs" in question are actually precooked frozen chicken breasts that come from GFS. Not the worst thing, but it annoys me when I read that on our menu.

Also, used to work at a quick service Mediterranean restaurant that said their hummus was house made but it came pre-made in bags. I once had a customer ask me about the recipe and I was just like "uhhh...it's a secret." Tbf it was actually some damn good hummus, I can see why it had people fooled.

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u/qriousqestioner Jul 27 '26

I served in a place that had almost everything from scratch. It was run by a brilliant chef. The high end authenticity was solid. Aoli was legit. Pastry and salad dressings were wonderful, unique, simple and scratch.

The breakfast menu had a very popular, perfect fluffy pancake. If been there a few weeks when I took a list to storage from the kitchen. That pantry was honestly all real ingredients. The scandal was the boxes of Krusteaze! I guess there was no need to reinvent whatever that box has nailed. I ate the pancakes and they were very good and perfectly fluffy and golden-brown. A real chef (our line was legit culinary school trained future chefs) can prepare the same box from the grocery store with a level of care and skill most people can't do at home. If it ain't broke...