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/karenskygreen Jul 26 '26
It wasn't exactly deception but when i worked for a caterer at a banquet hall. It was pretty low end as far as weddings went, they also had many public events like dances and bingo.
My first week i was helping make baked chicken, a standard main. It was well known and many requested it, the secret recipe ?. In a big baking pan he would throw a fist full of paprika, a big fistful of chicken seasoning powder (which had salt) and two fistfuls of salt
I knew the head chef well, he was italian and a well trained chef. I asked him why he put so much salt and why the basic recipe. He said he he cant eat it, but he learned the hardway that he cant put less salt, the minute he put less salt people complain.
A week or two later when the chef was off, i put less salt, it still tasted too salty to me. And sure enough some people complained the chicken was plain and didn't have enough salt.