A Michelin-trained chef just exposed the ‘number one’ dish you eat that gives you food-borne illness, and the reason is disgusting

If you’re worried about getting sick from restaurant food, you probably shouldn’t be focusing on that seafood special; a veteran chef just warned that the number one dish giving people food-borne illnesses is actually the humble salad. As per BroBible, Chef Solomon Ince of Tableaux Eats recently offered a glimpse into back-of-house reality on TikTok, explaining that unless he’s eating somewhere truly exceptional, he refuses to order greens because of how often cooks skip the crucial washing step.

In a follow-up video, Ince explained that if the lettuce isn’t washed and prepared correctly, you’re eating a bunch of bacteria like E. coli. “Salad is the number one thing you’re going to get a food-borne illness from,” he stated. Ince noted that even at some nice places he’s worked, people “throw a fit over washing some damn Romaine.”

Ince is a veteran of some of America’s best kitchens, having spent time at chef Daniel Boulud’s two-Michelin-starred flagship establishment, Restaurant Daniel, where a meal runs nearly $200 per person. While the salad risk is shocking, Ince also backed up a classic piece of restaurant advice that many diners have heard before: Stay away from the fish specials.

That’s some great insight before your next restaurant visit

He explained that a special is often just a way to get rid of stock. If a chef has too much of something they need to move quickly, they’ll rapidly invent a dish to sell it before it goes bad. “A special is something you’re trying to get rid of,” he confirmed. “If you don’t know that, it’s the truth.”

Interestingly, many viewers immediately referenced the late, great Anthony Bourdain, whose tell-all book, Kitchen Confidential, offered similar warnings about seafood specials years ago. Ince is definitely a fan, saying of Bourdain’s work, “Anyone who enjoys the grittiness of the industry will love this book. It was the first book I read that made me want to become a chef.”

Now, not everyone agrees with the “specials are bad” rule, especially when talking about high-end dining. One viewer who worked in expensive restaurants pushed back, saying their specials were always fresh and they always ordered them. Another commenter agreed, noting their high-end restaurant used to order fresh fish every Friday specifically for weekend specials. That same commenter did add one important calendar-based caveat, though: “Now on a Monday or Tuesday I may agree.”

So, how can you spot a special that’s actually suspicious? One commenter noted that if the special is a mixed dish, like a seafood stew or a medley of some sort, it’s usually built from leftover seafood they couldn’t sell but desperately need to move, such as old fish, clams, or shrimp.

Ince himself offered a great rule of thumb for judging the overall quality of the establishment. He said that specials aren’t all going to be bad, but you absolutely have to know what type of restaurant you’re at. If the menu has forty or more items and serves both Italian and Latin American cuisine, you should probably steer clear of the special board.

Conversely, if you visit a well-thought-out restaurant with only about eight items on the menu, and it’s obvious that a lot of care went into the customer experience, he suggests you’re probably in for a treat with any special menu item. That attention to detail usually translates to fresh ingredients.