My First Week in the Kitchen: Hygiene in Germany – It’s More Serious Than I Thought

Okay, so moving to Berlin was amazing. Seriously, the culture, the food… everything is incredible. But let me tell you, there’s a lot you don’t realize until you’re actually doing things here. And my new job as a kitchen assistant at “Zum Goldenen Hahn” (The Golden Hahn – a traditional German pub) has been a serious eye-opener when it comes to hygiene. It’s not just about washing your hands, you know? It’s a whole thing. And honestly, I was a bit clueless at first.

Hairnets – “Eine Haarnetz?” Seriously?

The first thing I noticed was the hairnets. Everywhere. Seriously, everyone – chefs, waiters, even the dishwashers – were wearing them. I was completely baffled. I asked my supervisor, Herr Schmidt, “Entschuldigen Sie, Herr Schmidt, aber… eine Haarnetz? Warum?” (Excuse me, Mr. Schmidt, but… a hairnet? Why?)

He just smiled patiently and said, “Ja, Lisa, das ist Standard. Wir müssen sicherstellen, dass kein Haar in das Essen fällt. Das ist wichtig für die Hygiene.” (Yes, Lisa, that’s standard. We need to make sure no hair falls into the food. That’s important for hygiene.) He then explained that even a tiny hair in a soup or a sauce could make customers sick. It sounded… intense.

I bought one immediately. It feels a bit strange, but I get it now. “Ich trage jetzt immer eine Haarnetz!” (I’m now always wearing a hairnet!) I even asked a colleague, Thomas, “Thomas, ist es unangenehm?” (Thomas, is it uncomfortable?) He shrugged and said, “Ein bisschen, aber es ist für die Gesundheit!” (A little, but it’s for your health!)

Gloves – When to Wear Them (and Not to Wear Them!)

Then there are the gloves. I assumed, like in some places back home, you just wore them when prepping raw meat. Wrong. So, so wrong. The first time I tried to chop onions – after getting my hairnet on, of course – I was wearing gloves. Frau Müller, the head chef, walked over, took one look, and said, completely serious, “Lisa! Nicht so! Die Handschuhe nur für rohes Fleisch!” (Lisa! Not like that! The gloves are only for raw meat!)

She showed me the correct procedure. “Sie benutzen die Handschuhe, wenn Sie rohes Fleisch schneiden, oder wenn Sie mit Eiern arbeiten. Ansonsten tragen Sie sie nicht!” (You use the gloves when you cut raw meat or when you work with eggs. Otherwise, you don’t wear them!) She explained that wearing gloves constantly can actually promote bacteria growth. It seemed completely counterintuitive! “Das ist kompliziert!” (That’s complicated!)

I asked, “Aber warum nicht?” (But why not?) She replied, “Es ist eine Frage der Prävention! Wir wollen keine Bakterien!” (It’s a matter of prevention! We don’t want bacteria!)

Modal Verbs – “Kann”, “Muss”, and “Sollte” – Ordering it All

This whole situation really highlighted the importance of modal verbs. Herr Schmidt constantly used “muss” (must) and “sollte” (should) when giving instructions. “Du musst die Hände waschen, bevor du mit dem Essen arbeitest!” (You must wash your hands before you start working with the food!). “Du sollte immer eine Schürze tragen!” (You should always wear an apron!). And, “Wir können immer mehr Gäste bedienen, wenn die Küche sauber ist!” (We can serve more guests if the kitchen is clean!).

I realized that “können” (can) was used to express possibility or ability – “Wir können das Problem lösen.” (We can solve the problem.) “Muss” showed obligation – “Du musst das Rezept genau befolgen” (You must follow the recipe exactly.) And “sollte” indicated a recommendation – “Du sollte das Gemüse gründlich waschen.” (You should wash the vegetables thoroughly.) It’s a totally different way of phrasing things than I’m used to. I’m still working on it, but it’s definitely making me a more attentive worker.

A Small Mistake – And a Big Lesson

Yesterday, I accidentally dropped a small piece of potato peel onto the floor. Panic! I immediately shouted, “Oh Gott! Ein Kartoffelstück!” (Oh God! A potato piece!) Herr Schmidt just calmly said, “Keine Panik, Lisa. Es ist passiert. Wir wischen es auf!” (No panic, Lisa. It happened. We wipe it up!). He then quickly cleaned it up, and everything was fine. But it hammered home the point: even small mistakes can be serious in this environment. “Ich muss vorsichtiger sein!” (I have to be more careful!)

I’m slowly getting the hang of things, and honestly, it’s a lot more than just cooking. It’s about respect, precision, and a serious commitment to cleanliness. And maybe… just maybe… I’m starting to understand why everyone wears those hairnets! “Gute Arbeit, Lisa!” (Good work, Lisa!) I’m determined to keep learning.