Saw a line cook slice his hand open and the debate about using gloves vs bare hands came right back

I was working a busy Friday service last week and the new kid cut his finger pretty bad on a mandoline. My sous chef was all about how gloves give you that false sense of safety and you actually cut yourself more. But then the head chef said gloves are just basic sanitation and anyone who argues is stuck in the old ways. I've been doing this for 8 years and I've seen both sides. I personally go barehand when I'm dicing onions but glove up for raw chicken. What do you all do in your kitchens? Does your spot have a rule or is it more of a personal call?

3 comments

3 Comments

fiona_west218d ago

Oh man, the glove debate never ends and it's always the new kid who pays the price... classic. Mandolines are basically finger guillotines no matter what you're wearing on your hands though. Using gloves for raw meat is just common sense but I've seen guys go through a whole case of gloves in one shift because they change them every time they touch a bag of flour. Honestly the false sense of safety thing is real, I've seen gloved hands get way too close to blades because people think they're invincible. But the sanitation angle wins for me, especially when you're working with the public and health inspectors can show up any minute.

ruby_henderson368d ago

@fiona_west21 you're so right about the false confidence thing... I've watched people with gloves on grab the blade guard wrong because they think the glove is going to save them and that plastic won't do a thing against a mandoline blade.

jamie9406d ago

Cringed reading this because I'm definitely that new kid who learned the hard way. First week on the job, I had a glove on and thought I was untouchable. Tried to adjust the blade guard on a mandoline and it slipped right off, took a chunk out of my thumb. Blood everywhere, and my boss just sighed and handed me the first aid kit. Now I'm the one side-eyeing people with gloves on around sharp tools. The sanitation angle makes sense for sure, but I'll take a clean cut over a gloved one any day. At least I can feel exactly where my fingers are without that false armor.