It's near impossible to watch reality TV without forming strong opinions, even if it's a seemingly innocuous cooking competition. Maybe you can't stand one contestant's arrogant attitude, or you adore someone's humble origin story. Perhaps it really irks you how a chef uses edible flowers on everything, or your mouth waters every time your favorite contender puts out a Southern comfort food dish. But when it comes to all those cooking shows on Food Network, fans have very strong opinions on a particularly "gross" behavior that is turning their stomachs.
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Fans find it "gross" that Food Network contestants' hair is everywhere.
I have had this same exact thought while watching cooking shows. Why is no one tying their hair back? Doesn't that violate some kind of health code? Turns out, I'm far from alone.
In a recent Reddit thread, one Food Network viewer posed the question: "Is it just me or do some of you find it less than hygienic to see chefs with long hair prepare food with their hair hanging over their face?"
"I’m with you! I get the yucks when their hair is just all around them when they’re handling food," agreed a fellow Redditor.
"I absolutely agree... I'm a retired nurse and hygiene - especially around food - is very important to me," concurred someone else.
"IDR what I was watching recently, but it was a female chef in competition who kept pushing her hair back, behind her ears, using both hands," shared yet another commenter. "I know how much my hair falls out. I can’t imagine these chefs aren’t losing hair in the food."
But it's not just hair on top of the head that is grossing people out.
"What really turns my stomach is seeing say Aaron May or any chef with not only their hair dangling but their long beards hanging above the food too ugh," added a viewer.
"To me, that’s worse, because I know how much food gets lost in beards," said another.
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Viewers are also grossed out by sweaty contestants.
When I'm standing in front of the stove with the burners on, I know I get overheated. And when the oven is on, the thermostat might climb 10 degrees. So, I can understand how chefs who are also under time constraints can get super sweaty—but that doesn't mean it's appetizing.
The Reddit thread also delves into this. "It the dripping sweat I hate more than anything," said a Food Network viewer.
In a separate Reddit thread on the topic, someone said, "I am always seeing that darn sweat right at the tip of their nose just waiting to drip right into the food. It disturbs me."
"Rocco’s [DiSpirito] sweat always gives me the ick," shared a viewer in yet another Reddit thread.
They find jewelry unhygienic, too.
Food Network fans also take issue with chefs wearing jewelry in the kitchen, especially rings.
"I always hate seeing jewelry staying on too. Rings and at times bracelets as they are working with chicken and such. That's gross to me," shared a Redditor.
"Another thing we have noticed is some of the Food Network personalities who will keep their wedding bands or rings on even while they are mixing something like meat for burgers or meatloaf, etc. Rings carry germs because they are on your fingers. And why would you want to get a bunch of raw meat and other food mixed in your rings?" said another.
"The ones that gross me out are the friendship style bracelets that stay on and are made of porous material… ick," someone else responded.
"And Guy [Fieri] wears lots of huge rings when he cooks. So ick!" a Redditor said.
"Paula Deen was the worst for wearing rings while cooking. Gross," another viewer wrote, to which someone added, "Or how about Ree Drummond with her long sleeves grazing the top of the food."
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But some Food Network fans say it's the nature of TV.
In response to others' gripes, one Food Network fan countered, "It’s TV. They went through hair and makeup to look like that. It’s just how it goes."
"Obviously they're not doing this in their restaurants. The people eating the food (namely the judges) are fine with it, so I don't see what the problem is here," agreed another.
"While I understand the ick factor, they arent cooking in a restaurant, so those issues aren't necessary. It's a TV show. Most people don't pull their hair back at home nor wear gloves," said a third.
However someone else offered an interesting, albeit unconfirmed, theory: "There was a claim a number of years ago that production “recreates” the chefs’ meals to ensure it’s hygienic. That’s why you’ll notice chefs being messier than normal or putting the spoon back in to stir after they tasted. Theres never any blood in the food anymore nor do the judges ever refuse to eat anything anymore due to unhygienic practices. Recreating the dishes to avoid pathogens probably makes WB Discovery’s insurance affordable."
